Magical Mayhem
by Vamps-with-Wings
Summary: What happens when Max and her flock meet Harry Potter and his gang? Will the mayhem cease to exist or will things just get worse? You're about to find out! Better than it sounds I swear! R&R please! Old and new pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter -:ONE:-**

**Can't We Just Be Left Alone For, Like, Two seconds? Oh God I'm Starting To Sound Like Nudge!**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I swooped. I spun. Whirling like a bullet through the air, wings aloft. Bet you never thought you would hear someone say that about themselves did you? It's true though. I had wings. Real wings, with a span of thirteen feet. I could fly, too. Me, along with my band of six merry mutants that is. There was me, Max, the leader. I, along with Fang and Iggy, who is blind by the way, are all fourteen. Nudge is eleven and then the Gasman, or Gazzy as we usually call him, is eight, while is biological sister Angel is six. We were an odd bunch to look at. I was tall and, well quiet frankly beautiful, with dirty blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. Then their was Fang, the silent, emotionless type. He was the rock of the group, never wearing any other color but black, with his hair falling messily in his eyes. Then their was Iggy. He was tall, and I mean even taller then usual, since we all had above average height for our ages. He had strawberry blond hair and clear blue, unseeing eyes. Of course next was Nudge, with her dark skin and wild mane of curly hair. Not to mention the mouth on the girl! She talked non stop! Gazzy and Angel both had blond hair and blue eyes. Gazzy. . . let's just there was a reason he had the name the _Gas_man. Angel, ah, Angel was my baby. I had raised her like a child and I loved her so much. I loved everything about my flock.

"They're gaining on us Max!" Another figure came out of no where to fly beside me.

"I know, I know." I muttered in frustration.

"What are we going to do?" As the person that said this spoke these words his face held no emotion. Well, that was Fang for you.

"Fly until I say otherwise." I ordered. Yeah, I was such a great leader wasn't I?

"Of course." he murmured and disappeared once again, although I could still feel his presence. Don't ask me how, but I could.

Fang's invisibility had become more powerful. Instead of just disappearing when he sat still for a long time and didn't move or speak, he could now will himself into becoming invisible, I guess. He had tried numerous times to sneak up and scare me. . . but somehow I always knew when he was there. I just felt him somehow. When he was in the room I automatically knew. It was slightly confusing to me, but an altogether relief also. He hadn't caught me unprepared once yet. I took pride in that.

"Max!" I voice a few feet behind me whined.

"What Nudge?" I sighed, although I already knew what she was going to say.

"I'm hungry." Of course she was.

"Now isn't the best time sweetie." I replied.

"But I'm _so_ starving and we, like, haven't eaten since early this morning and that wasn't even a big breakfast. I only had, like, a little bit of the scrambled eggs that Iggy made, which were really good by the way, and a granola bar, so I'm super hungry right now! Plus we've been flying for ever and I'm really tired, so don't you just think we can stop, for like two seconds maybe? Well I guess we can't because of the flyboys, but still, it would make everything so much easier and we could-" I shut her out. No doubt she would blab on and on until someone finally screamed at her to shut up.

"Oh will you SHUT UP NUDGE!" Iggy cried out in exasperation. _See_, I told you.

"What?" She sounded surprised. Yeah, like she didn't know how much she talked.

"HEY!" I heard the Gasman yell and then there was the sound of crunching metal. I skidded to a halt (is that even possible while flying?) and spun around quickly, hoping desperately that that sound of crunching metal had all been in my head and Gazzy had just got his leg caught in a branch or something.

No such luck.

The scene behind me was absolute chaos. Gazzy was punching some flyboy in the head as hard as he could while another was making it's way over towards them. Iggy was throwing bombs into the midst of the flyboys like there was no tomorrow. Bits and pieces of metal were flying everywhere and I could hardly see through the chemical residue the bombs were producing. Nudge was holding her own against two flyboys at the same time. Impressive, I would have to congratulate her on that when we got out of this mess. If we did. Which we would. . . Of course. Fang was no where to be seen, but flyboys were going down from some unseen force in every odd direction. Good. Angel was hovering off to the side. Smiling angelically, yet in the most creepy, terrifying way you could have ever imagined. I don't think a flyboy came within ten feet of her small frame before it smashed headlong to the ground. They were robots yes, but somehow my little mind reader was controlling them. Invading into something, since they obviously didn't have brains and influencing them to do crazy, suicidal things. That's my Angel. She was a mind reader and she could influence others brains if you couldn't already tell. It was pretty intimidating sometimes. Not that she'd ever try that kind of crap with me. No, she would be in so much trouble if she did.

_That's why I don't Max. . . and look out_, she planted this thought in my head.

I swung around just in time to meet the fist of a flyboy. Oh hell no! I pulled back my leg and spun around quickly, planting a round house kick right in his gut. . . or where his gut would have been if he wasn't a robot. . . . . I punched him in the face just as he had done to me and then snapped his neck. I watched for a few seconds as he floated to the ground and then I thrust myself into the fight.

_Here we go_.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"That was awesome!" Iggy yelled and slapped high fives with Gazzy.

"It was kind of fun." Angel piped up.

"It was tiring is what it was." We all heard Fang's voice but we didn't see him. God that was getting annoying.

It was a couple of hours after the fight and we had all come out unscathed. I couldn't say the same for most of those flyboys, but hey, I'm not complaining. We had just landed in a clearing and I was chewing on the idea of staying here or moving farther away. Ah the joys of being the leader of a flock.

"I'm hungry." Nudge whined. Of course.

"Ok guys, let's just stay here tonight and then continue on in the morning." I ordered them and they all nodded in consent. Except for Fang of course, because he hadn't shown himself yet, but I knew he wouldn't care.

"So can we eat now, pretty please. . . with apple pie on top. I love apple pie and besides I don't like cherries that much. Isn't that what people usually say? With cherries on top? Mhm, I don't know but I still think apple pie is better. Oh, I remember this one time, when-"

"Iggy will you please make dinner?. . . Preferably _before _my ear drums explode." I asked. Now you may be wondering 'Why let the blind guy cook?'. Well it's simple really. He's the only one who's any good at it. You'd know if you've ever tasted his food before.

"Why do you always say stuff like that? I can't bust your ear drums from just talking and besides, it's not like I talk that much. I mean really. I don't think I talk that much at all. You guys are just really mean and stuff when you say I do. Hey, have you ever noticed how you're the only people who think I talk to much? Yeah, that's what I thought, so that proves that I don't! I don't have any reason to believe I talk-"

"NUDGE!" Everyone yelled in unison and she turned a bright shade of red and slumped her shoulders muttering "Fine then."

I sighed heavily and sank to the ground. At least I meant too.

"HEY!" I jumped up in surprise and Fang magically appeared in front of me, right where I had been meaning to sit. Oh my god I almost sat right down in Fang's lap! Oh the horror

"Got you!" He laughed at my stricken expression which immediately set me scowling.

"You think that's funny now do you?" I raised my eyebrows and he almost cracked a smile.

"Well we'll just see about that."

I lunged at him before he had even registered what I was doing. I tackled him to the ground and he wiggled uselessly beneath my weight.

"You were saying?" I smiled down at him.

Everyone behind us was laughing at the site and then I heard Angel saying something, but it was in my mind, so only I could hear it. _He's thinking about how cute you look from that position. . . What is that supposed to mean?_ She informed me.

"You sexist pig!" I spit at him and jumped quickly up. He looked confused for a second and then it dawned on him.

"ANGEL!" He yelled and she just smiled angelically back.

"Dinner's ready!" Iggy called out and soon all other previous worries were forgotten.

Now I'm not one to complain and Fang isn't either. Sometimes Iggy might, but hey, he's blind for goodness sake! You have to cut him a break sometimes! The younger kids, however, usually speak up when they need something. No matter how hard Gazzy tries to be my little trooper he gets tired sometimes and Angel is six after all. She can't hold out as long us other, much older, bird kids can. Nudge's biggest fault is her bottomless pit of a stomach. I mean we all eat a lot. Around three thousand calories a day, but it seems like she's always whining that she's hungry. I usually keep my thoughts to myself on these matters, but I couldn't help but feel a little thankful that Nudge had said something. I was the leader. The all mighty and powerful Maximum Ride. I couldn't break down because I was hungry, because let's face it, I was ravenous right now. So in a way I was happy that Nudge always asked to stop, because honestly, I usually wanted to, too.

After dinner I climbed up into a tree and told everybody that I would take first watch. There were mumbled 'ok's' and some nodding of the heads and the rest of my flock was out like a light. We had already done our ritual fist tapping quite unceremonialy if I do say so myself.

Iggy had slumped down automatically and Nudge had also. The Gasman crashed to the ground beside Angel who was holding her teddy bear Celeste in the crook of her arm. I smiled at that sight. Gazzy and Angel were just too cute when they were by each other! Like twin angels only Gazzy was actually older, but whatever.

"What are you so happy about?" A voice said beside me, but I didn't jump like most people were probably expecting. Yeah, you did, didn't you? I knew it.

"Nothing." I answered and did a quick three sixty of the area and found nothing alarming.

"Why were you smiling then?" He actually appeared beside me, which was really surprising. He just always walked around invisible now a days. And if I was being honest with myself, I kind of missed seeing his face. Not that I actually liked him like that. No that was just crazy.

"Because unlike some people I know," I said pointedly, "I actually smile more than once in a blue moon."

"Haha, very funny."

"I know right? I'm a freaking comedy genius, just admit it." I knew he had been being sarcastic, I mean I'm not a complete and utter moron who was totally oblivious to the most obvious things.

"Yeah right." He almost, key word here is almost, cracked a smile.

"Excuse me?" I growled menacingly, but he wasn't buying it.

"Whatever, Max." He laughed and then disappeared.

"Fang!" I hissed.

The branch that I was sitting on swayed a little and then moved up a little as some of the weight that it was bearing was taken off, and leaves rustled towards the base of the trees.

"Good night Max. Wake me up when it's my watch." Fang whispered from somewhere on the ground.

"I really can't do that unless you're visible you moron." I scowled down in the general direction his voice had come from.

"Oh you'll be able to find me," he replied mysteriously. What the [insert swear word of your choice here] was that supposed to mean? The last thing I heard from him was a whisper of creepy laughter that had the hair on the back of my neck and arms rising. The weird thing about it was I couldn't pinpoint exactly what direction it was coming from, because. . . well. . . it was everywhere. Coming at me from all directions, like the wind whistling through the trees.

One thing was for sure. This was going to be a _long _watch.

**Authors Note: What did you think, what did you think????? Please, please review and tell me what your views on the chapter is. I know it's kind of slow and probably not that entertaining, but the story is just beginning, so don't give up hope on me now! Anyways review. . . like I said before. . . Come on people I said review. . . So go on. . . click that little button right under here that says Review this story/chapter with that little speech bubble beside it. . . You know you want to. . . DO IT NOW!!!! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: Hi, Hi peoples! I'd like to take the time to thank all my lovely reviewers luvfax01, reeeding foool, Broadway2B, Bobthytree, IggyLuver (twice!!!) and hannah. This chapter is so dedicated to all of you!!!! Oh and luvfax01, I can so see from your pen name why you would put that statement as your review! Ok, so here's the next chapter, hope you like it!**

**Chapter -:Two:-**

**What The Freak Just Happened Here?**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

We had been on the run for so long that we couldn't even begin to describe all the places and sites we had seen. Our mark has been left in almost every state in America (BTW we don't actually have a mark. I was just figuratively speaking.). We had been to Disney World and we had walked down Hollywood boulevard (looking very grimy if I might add). We had visited almost every beach in the whole freaking United States and on top of that, we had hid out in practically every forest there.

Let's just say that School never got over their little obsession over getting us back if you couldn't already tell.

One result of our current situation though, was after a while you just. . . well you just got a little lost. When I say this I don't mean that we have to get back to some place, because we took a wrong turn or something. No, I mean after a while you just forget where you actually are. In the beginning you take note of these things. They are important at first. After a while though. . . You get tired of it. You get sick of trying to make up a perfect plan of we're here and we're going to go through these states to get to this destination where we will stay for a few days and then move on yada, yada, yada.

So eventually. . . we got lost.

We had no idea where we were and we didn't care. We could have cared less in fact. Now a days we wandered aimlessly until the School or everyday life essentials (such as food, water, place of shelter etc.) got in our way. Then we'd actually have to think for once.

Like now for instance.

I had no idea what state we were in. I didn't even think we were on the same continent! All I knew was that we had flown into a big, menacing (and quite frankly altogether creepy) forest that didn't look like it held many humans which was good for us. We didn't like being pestered by what we used to be. By what we could never return, too.

Now I'll admit that it got hard sometimes. Nobody, even the great Maximum Ride, can stand moving from one place to the next forever. You may not realize it, but I want to find a permanent settlement just as much as the next guy, or mutant bird freak out there that is. That wasn't how our life worked though. That wasn't what whoever is in charge up there wants for us.

We have been doomed to live a life of running. Of finding something, just a minor, minuscule something good in the world and then we'll have it ripped away. I couldn't even live with my own mother for goodness sake, without worrying about putting her in constant danger. I could hardly stand to visit my family, my true, blood linked, sharing significant amount of DNA family, without wondering what could possibly happen by my being there. I couldn't see my mom everyday and I couldn't be there for my little sister, Ella, when she needed me.

If you think I like those aspects, then you're wrong. Extremely far from the mark actually.

Looking back at my life later, I would always wonder if these thoughts had triggered something in my brain. Some hidden attribute that hadn't fully grown yet, but would have been coming in good time. I had no way of knowing, of course, and no reason to really chew over the thought.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Fang!" I whisper yelled into the darkness of the night. He was such an idiot! How would he expect me to find an invisible person, let alone anything else in this light. It was weird, really. I had total raptor vision that enabled me to see better than a normal human in instances like these. One of the few good things about being a mutant bird freak, but right now, I honestly could hardly see a thing.

"Fang!" I repeated and still he did not appear.

I sighed in frustration and catapulted myself from the tree.

"Ouch!" Someone muttered right next to my foot. I jumped about a foot in the air.

"What the [insert swear word of your choice here]!" I exclaimed.

"I could say the same thing. You stepped on my head you know?" I could now see Fang smirking annoyingly at me through the gloom.

"What were you doing lying at the bottom of the tree for?" I questioned him.

"I don't like sleeping visible, you know that and I needed a way for you to find me and I figured you'd be bound to find me here."

"Yeah, well brilliant plan! I hope I smashed your brain in really well." I snorted (it didn't sound as bad as you might think) and walked towards the now dimming camp fire.

"Good night Max," Fang whispered, but I still caught it.

"Have a nice watch Fang." I replied contemptuously. I heard his short laugh and then I closed my eyes and let sleep over come me.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

In my dream we were in a strikingly familiar place. In fact, it was the camp we had set up. The only difference was there was a small amount of gray light filtering in through the thick trees, with there plentiful leaves.

We were all sitting around the fire eating breakfast. Laughing and joking like we always do. Then things changed. The air grew cold and frosty. The temperature had to have dropped to something at least below zero degrees. There was this swishing sound in the air, but aside from that I couldn't locate the source of the disturbance.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I jerked upright. panting hard. What had that dream been about? It had been rather short, but it also seemed like so much had happened at the same time. All I really knew was that I didn't want to go back there.

"I didn't mean to wake you." I heard Iggy say.

"What? Mhm, Oh it's ok. I think I was ready to get up anyways." I stuttered a little as I spoke.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Concern writhing on the edge of his tone.

"Nothing." I answered quickly.

"Max." He said sternly.

"It was just this dream I had." I shook my head, trying to lose the image my words created.

"What was it about?" He asked attentively and patted the space on a gnarled root of a tree that he had propped himself on. Dang, I had never actually taken notice before, but these tree's were huge!

I stood and brushed myself off a little and then went to join him.

"It was nothing really. Even I don't understand what it was about. . . because there was no point really. We were just sitting around like usual and then it got super cold and. . . and it was just weird." I shivered.

"Why is that?" Iggy was looking at me intently even though he couldn't actually see my face.

"I don't know. Maybe. . . Maybe it was because I could feel the emotions in the air. I could feel fear and I knew that something horrible was coming. I just felt it. I guess that was what made me afraid." I surprised myself by answering truthfully.

"It was just a dream Max." He assured me and then got up to start preparing breakfast.

"Thanks Iggy." I said and he turned to look at me in confusion.

"For what?" He inquired.

"For caring."

"Oh." He smiled and then turned around once again.

"Ok everybody, it's time to get up! Come on! Let's go guys! The sun is shining. . . at least I think it is!" I shouted and the remaining bird kids stating arousing.

"UP!" I screamed in Nudge's ear and she moaned then opened her eyes slowly.

"Five more minutes." She yawned hugely and rolled over.

"I don't think so! You need to get up now!"

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

It was the exact same setting as my dream. I didn't know why I didn't see it coming at first.

"It's getting kind of cold, Max." Angel scooted closer to me.

"It really is!' Gazzy exclaimed.

Just then I noticed it, too. The temperature was dropping at an alarming rate. Pretty soon I could tell that it was below freezing.

"What's going on, Max?" Nudge's voice shook and she too came to sit beside me.

"I don't know." My voice shook also and five pairs of anxious bird kid eyes turned to stare at me.

"Max is it-?" Iggy began and I knew what he was talking about.

"Exactly like it." I breathed and he rushed over to me.

"Are you sure?" I didn't even know how he didn't trip when he was coming.

"I'm posi-" I was cut off by the sound of swishing that filled the air.

I looked up in shock and saw that everything was being layered by a thin sheet of ice. The air was so thick it was hard to breath, hard to swallow. It felt like the entire world had taken on a new, more gruesome effect. A bone chilling sort of terror crept like a spider up my spine and a piercing sort of dread settled at the bottom of my stomach. I hated to admit it, but I was scared stiff. I saw something move out of my peripheral vision. Let me tell you that did _not_ help at all. In fact, it only made matters worse. I turned around to face it with exaggerated slowness. Everyone else followed my lead.

Nudge shrieked in terror and Angel cried out and hurriedly buried her head in my side. The Gasman gasped and I reached out for him, enclosing him in my arms. Fang was staring bug eyed at the. . . the thing before us and me. . . well let's just say I wasn't doing to well either. Right now, I think for the first time ever, I thought Iggy was lucky that he couldn't see.

**Authors Note: Did you like it? Now did you really, really like it? If so then review and say if you did! Seriously! I'm not joking. . . I'm not going to wait all day, I want you to click on that review button and I want you to do it now! Thank you!!! Oh and YES! A total cliffhanger! Unless you've read the Harry Potter series and you payed attention during it. Then you'll know what the Flock as run into, so review and tell me what you think it is and whoever guesses right will get the next chapter dedicated to them!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: Thanks to all my lovely reviewers. . . for well. . . reviewing. I know it's been awhile since I last updated, but I've been really, really busy, and my stepsisters are doww for the weekend and it's hard to find computer time, and then I had a volleyball tournament, we got second!!! Yay us! So I haven't had to much time for writing, but here it is now. Oh, and Congratulations to jumpfurjoy, who was the only person who knew what the creature in the last and this, chapter was, or else she was the only one who put it in her review, so this chapter is so dedicated to you!**

**PS. I actually meant to update much sooner but stupid fanfiction wouldn't let me freaking add the chapter to my story! I don't know if any other people had those sort of problems, but all I know is that you can't be mad at me because I was going to update sooner, so don't hurt me!!!**

**Chapter -:Three:-**

**Scary, Creepy, Weird, Frightening, Wands. . . See Which One Doesn't Fit?**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Max?" I heard Iggy say right behind me.

"It's the same. I swear to you it's exactly the same!" I cried and took a stumbling step backward, dragging the younger kids with me. I always swore I would do anything to protect them, but this. . . this was just too much to ask for. This. . . this thing, was in no way like an Eraser or Flyboy **(A/N: I know I haven't been capitalizing Flyboy on the other chapters so I'll try to start now)** I had ever seen, and somewhere inside me, I couldn't help but wonder if these creatures were even from the school. Were those evil scientist's minds even capable of withholding such. . . such. I don't know, it was just really, _really, _unbelievablyscary. Too scary even for me, the great, the powerful, the invincible Maximum Ride.

"It's like you predicted the future!" Iggy replied.

"Yeah, well can the future get us away from here, before those things decide to, I don't know, eat us?" I took another step back, but I felt Fang come stand beside me, barring my way.

"What?" I asked quizzically. Didn't he want to get out of here. . . alive?

"There are more. They're circling us." He stated and I cringed.

It was true. The monsters were circling us. Floating in mid air, casting off an icy aura. They moved smoothly and silently, with only the swish their clothes making any noise what so ever. Slipping through the atmosphere like they were swimming. I couldn't see much of their bodies. They had on long, flowing capes, with the hoods pulled up to cover up their identity. What was worse though, was the fact that as they closed in on us closer and closer I started losing even more hope of living. It wasn't normal. . . not for me at least. I mean , when I had first seen them I thought they were scary looking, yeah, of course. I hadn't been that frightened though. It seemed like as they crept closer I didn't have anything left. . . and I was sad, so sad. It was heartbreaking really. It was like they were feeding off my previous happiness, converting it all into some palpable kind of dread. To say the least, it was horrible.

Suddenly a shock wave hit me and I felt my body slump a little and I was transported back in time. Back to an instance, back to an argument I sincerely wished had never happened

_*Flashback*_

_"He doesn't have anywhere else to go! He helped us, remember? They're not gonna let him back in. Plus, I keep telling you, he's only seven years old, no matter how big he is. How's he gonna survive?"_

_"I don't give a crap," Fang said icily. "I'm fine with him not surviving at all. Remember this?" He yanked up his shirt to show the pink lines of his healed scars, the ones from when Ari had sliced him up like a tenderloin and almost made him bleed to death._

_"I remember," I said quietly. "But I can't just kick him out into the cold with no place to go, no way to survive. Not knowing that the whitecoats will be gunning for him now. It's only a few days- just until he expires."_

_Fang poked me hard in the chest,_

_"Hey!" I said._

_"You're making your worst mistake ever," he snarled. "And it's gonna cost you. You'll see."_

_With that he jumped off the porch, not even hitting the ground before his wide, dark wings took him soundlessly into the night._

_*End of Flashback*_

That had probably been the worst day of my life. Because of this fight between Fang and I he had left me. Taking half of my flock, my _family_, with him. I shuddered convulsively and then my eyes opened wide.

The sight before me almost made me want to scream.

They were getting close. To close for comfort. I was still clutching Angel by my side, but the Gasman and Nudge were huddled over by Iggy who was now standing beside me. I shivered a little and felt a protective arm slide around my waist and pull me closer to his side. _ Fang_.

Despite all my previous attempts at driving a nail between mine and Fang's relationship, other than being family members of course, I leaned into him, too. Surprising even myself by letting him hold me.

In my mind I kept hearing the same sentence repeated over and over again.

_You're making your worst mistake ever. . . You're making your worst mistake ever. . . You're making your worst mistake ever._

It was like a chant and I couldn't help but worry.

What if it happened again? What if Fang got really PO'd about something I did and snapped? What of he left again? What if Iggy and Gazzy decided to go with him.

Once again I was launched into total darkness and then I was seeing the same thing I had seen before. Only this wasn't like déjà vu. Nope, it was even scarier.

_*Flashback*_

_"We have to choose?" Gazzy squeaked._

_"I'll go with Fang." Iggy's face was expressionless, but his voice hurt my heart, Shocked, I was glad he couldn't see my face._

_"I'm going with Fang," said Gazzy. I stared at him, in astonishment._

_And that was that. The flock was split in two. And I really had no idea if I would ever see Fang and his group again. _**(A/N: This flashback sort of skips around in a few places. I didn't want to have to copy down the whole thing, so sorry if it bothers you, which I hope it doesn't. . .)**

_*End of Flashback*_

My eyes flew open just as they had before. The only difference was that now Angel was holding my hand and Fang had both of his arms wrapped around me in support. I must have fallen.

Now all I could hear was, _flock split in two. . . flock split in two. . . flock split in two_.

If the time should arise would Gazzy leave his little sister? Would he leave me? Even after all the times I had saved his butt, taken care of him since Jeb had disappeared from the E shaped house, and when I had been the only mother he had ever know. Would he still decide to branch out?

And Iggy! Even though I had never let him quit because of his disability, would he leave? Would all the good times we'd had be enough to make him stay? Would our recent understanding keep him with me? I don't even care if the only reason he would stay was because he thought I would need someone for when I woke up from a frightening dream that eventually came true! As long as he stayed with me I wouldn't care even a little bit about the reasoning behind it.

The main question here really was would they, _could_ they, leave me again?

And the answer to that is yes.

"Max!" I heard Fang whisper in my ear. He sounded stressed and very scared.

"I'm fine. . . I just keep zoning out. . . somehow." My voice shook.

"Max? I'm scared!" Nudge murmured quietly.

"So am I Nudge, so am I."

I didn't want to scare them. I didn't want to show weakness. In fact that was the last thing I wanted to do, but I couldn't help it. The truth was inevitable. I was scared stiff. At that moment all I wanted to do was run away. I wanted to live to see the next day. I was supposed to be their fearless leader, but at the moment, I was far from that perspective.

Fang tightened his hold on me and I felt like I should either be really mad that he was doing that, or extremely happy that he was. . . which was stupid since I didn't feel that way about him at all. But I couldn't feel any other emotion other than sheer terror, outright panic, and an indescribable grief that could never be explained in words and could never, ever, be depicted in a picture of any sort.

"Fang!" I warned as the gruesome monster drew within an arms length of me.

He stumbled back but we got tripped up in each others feet and crashed to the ground. That was when the one that was closest to me decided to strike.

It snapped out of it's place in the circle and rushed at my cowering figure. It stopped when it was right on top of me, hovering above my shaking form.

I still couldn't see it's face, for it was in the shadows, but it being the close was enough to set me on edge. The weirdest, most terrifying thing happened next. I don't know exactly how it started, but all of a sudden I felt the life being sucked out of me. I was getting tunnel vision like when your airways get blocked, but it wasn't that painful. I just started feeling really drained, until I wanted to close my eyes. It wasn't really wanting actually, it was more like desperation. I _needed_ to close my eyes. I just didn't have enough strength to keep them open.

I kept fighting though, because somewhere in my head my mind had registered the fact that if I gave up and succumbed to this mind numbing want that would be the end of me. I, Maximum Ride, would be defeated and there was no way that was going to happen.

I kept telling myself this, but despite my over self confidence I felt my resolve slipping. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn't help but think that maybe it would be easier to stop fighting. Maybe it would be a load off of everyone's shoulders if I just gave in.

All of a sudden the air was filled with noise. Sounds I had unconsciously blocked out. I could hear Fang yelling my name. I could hear Angel and Nudge sobbing and the Gasman and Iggy screaming for me to hang on. That they were going to help me, which was undeniably impossible and they knew it. Still, it pleased me to see that they were not under any circumstances giving up that easily. Not like I was about, too. Then I heard someone speak whose voice did not belong to any of the flock.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

**Authors Note: REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVEIW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVEIW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Yo, (I want to be like Fang for a while), as some people may know I changed the name of the story from The Ultimate Challenge, to Magical Mayhem. If you're just reading this now and you haven't read before you don't have to worry about my little warning, lol. Anyways this chapter is dedicated to IggyLuver8, who has reviewed every chapter and well. . . ok the pen name is just flipping sweet, because I honestly think no one appreciates Iggy enough. He is totally awesome even though he is blind. I know I would date him, lol. Enough of that though. Let us commence, ONWARD!**

**Chapter -:Four:-**

**And I Thought We Were A Weird Bunch. Mhm, Guess I Was Wrong. That Would Be A First.**

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There was a bright searing light and then I swear to you I saw this stag like, looking thing start galloping through the air. Twisting and turning in between the hooded creatures. It looked like it was made out of light itself. It had this sort of blue, iridescent brilliance about it that had all of us bird kids gawking at the sight. That wasn't the only surprising thing though. No, it was the fact that as those weird words, Expecto Patronum or something, were spoken and that stag shot like a bullet through the crowd of monsters they instantly fell back, retreating quickly into the instantaneous cover of trees.

When they were all gone the flock and I turned our heads simultaneously towards the direction in which that beautiful stag had come from. With this thought I realized it was no where to be seen anymore. In its place stood a boy that looked to be our age with black hair and piercing emerald green eyes. He wore glasses and had the strangest sort of sign on his forehead. It was right smack dab in the middle, but that wasn't the strange part. It was really the shape of the mark that caught and held your attention.

It was in the perfect formation of a zigzagged lightening strike.

After a few moments I realized that I was probably making him uncomfortable, staring at his scar like that, but it was mesmerizing somehow. I just couldn't look away and I don't think any of the flock could either. Except for Iggy maybe, but I bet Angel was sending him a mental image of the boy because I heard him mutter "Whoa" under his breath.

The boy shuffled his feet awkwardly and then in one swift shake of his head his hair fell over his forehead, concealing the mark on it and our trance was broken. My head snapped down a little and I noted for the first time that he clutched a very smooth and perfectly articulated stick in his hand. Holding onto it like it was a life line of some sort. Well wasn't he a bizarre one? Even more so than us mutant bird freaks. Maybe he had some tests done on his DNA by evil, wacko, crazy scientists like us. I guess there was only one way to find out.

"Hel- Hello." I stuttered. Dang, when the [insert swear word of your choice here] did I start stuttering? _When you almost died apparently_, I said to myself. Then that made me realize that I had literally almost died and I had also been contemplating that idea of gratefully succumbing to that action.

What I did next was utterly horrifying.

Tears welled in my eyes and before I could stop them they over flowed. Suddenly I felt like I didn't have the strength to stand any longer. I crumpled to the ground but Fang caught me and held me close to him. I buried my face in his chest and he stiffened for a moment before holding me closer. Angel ran over and hugged my legs, sending me soothing thoughts and I couldn't help but think how wrong this picture was.

I should not be the one bawling my eyes out, while Angel, who is six years old, is trying to calm me down! If anything the whole scene should be flipped around, but none of us hardly cry anyways. I was Maximum Ride, and I did not cry!

"Is. . . Is Max crying?" Iggy asked incredulously and I wanted to hit him so bad, but I didn't have enough strength left in me to reach my arm out and smack him upside the head, so I settled for saying in a weak, withered voice that surprised everyone, "Shut up Iggy, or I swear I will kill you!"

"Ohhh scary." He chuckled and I lurched towards him but stumbled in the process.

Someone caught me and I looked up to see a face shrouded by black hair. It wasn't Fang's dark eyes though. No these were brilliant green irises that I was peering into.

"Are you alright?" The boy asked.

"I think so." I said slowly. I felt alright, except for the major headache that was wracking my brain from the utter exhaustion I was feeling. It wasn't as bad as one of my brain attacks though, so I was grateful for that.

"I'm an idiot, of course your not ok!" He exclaimed and helped we straighten.

"What do you mean she's not ok?" Fang questioned him.

"Well, she just survived a Dementor attack and man it's very exhausting. After all they do suck the life out of you. I should know." He grimaced a little as he said this and got this glassy look over his eyes like he was remembering something from the past and it did not look like it was a pleasant memory from the horrified expression that now masked his face.

"Yes well. . . Was that you? You know, that made the. . . Dementors as you call them go away with. . . with that stag thing?" I tried to form a reasonable sentence without him thinking I was crazy for coming up with such an absurd question.

"Oh that. Yeah that was me. Pretty sufficient Patronus if I do say so myself." In saying this he neither sounded vain nor overly proud.

"What's a-?" I began.

"The time for questions is later." He cut me off and I decided to say something different.

"I guess I should thank you then." I said.

"For what?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"For saving my life, or are you saying that Dementor wouldn't have killed me?"

"Oh it would have, and the rest of your friends, too." He nodded.

"Well than I really should thank you for saving my life and my flo- family's life also." I corrected myself quickly.

"It was no problem. Really it wasn't." He brushed it aside. He obviously didn't want to be held in the spotlight.

"Well I'm Max and this is Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Angel and the Gasman." I introduced every one in turn.

"It's nice to meet you all and forgive me for saying this, but you do have some strange names." He bit his lip.

"Yeah, well what can we say? We're kind of strange I guess. More than you'll ever know." Fang said icily and I looked over at him to see that his eyes held some emotion other than blank nothingness. I wonder what his problem was though?

"And you are?" I quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, I'm quite sorry. My name is-" He was cut off by a sudden clatter of running feet crashing through the underbrush.

"HARRY! Harry where are you!" A girl yelled. She seemed quite frantic and concerned.

"Harry! Come on mate! Where the bloody hell did he get off, too?" This voice belonged to a male.

"I'm over here!" He turned around and shouted and the calling stopped.

There was more noise and then a boy with bright red hair skidded into the clearing with a girl that had bushy brown locks trailing close behind.

"There you are Harry! We've been looking for you everywhere! You of all people should know it's not safe to go waltzing into the Forbidden Forest alone, let alone at all!" The girl cried out and threw her arms around the boy, who a presumed to be Harry.

"There's no need to over react, and besides it's a good think I came out here when I did, or else these six would have been dead." For the first time the new comers seemed to notice our presence.

"Who are these Muggles, Harry, and what are they doing way out here in the Forbidden Forest?" The boy peered closely at us.

"What did you just call us!" I exclaimed angrily, and let me tell you I do not look pretty when I'm angry, and took a menacing step towards him.

"Be careful Max!" Harry reached out for my arm.

"Why would I have to be careful? He should be the one being careful. That is if he doesn't want his face pummeled in!" I snarled and he took a step back, his eyes widened perceptibly.

"You wouldn't. . . Would you?" He inquired in a shaky voice.

"Oh she would dude, she would." Iggy was laughing hysterically.

"Everyone these are my friends Ron and Hermione. Guys this is Max, Fang, Nudge, Iggy, the Gasman, and Angel." This time Harry introduced us all, but I was still mad. What did he think that puny Ron could do to me?

"You do realize that your friend couldn't even touch me, right?" I turned to glare at him angrily.

"That's not what I meant by my statement Max. I was referring to the fact that you can hardly walk on your own at the present moment." He reassured me and I relaxed a little.

"What exactly happened here, Harry?" The girl, Hermione, spoke up.

"They were attacked by Dementors." Harry said simply, but Ron's face morphed into a mask of shock and Hermione gasped.

"Oh my." She murmured.

"I think we should take them back to see Dumbledore." Harry suggested.

"That's impossible! You've gone crazy mate!" Ron exclaimed.

"Come on guys! She needs help, and I don't have any chocolate right now so I can't help her here and besides I think Dumbledore will want to see them." Harry defended himself.

"I don't know Harry. It seems kind of dangerous. We don't even really know anything about these people." Hermione said uncertainly.

"We're good at keeping secrets. Trust me." I interjected.

"I can't just trust some random stranger!" Hermione replied.

"If we tell you our secret we'll you tell us yours?" I asked and then flock cried out in protest.

"Max what are you thinking!" Iggy said.

"Have you gone loopy from lack of sleep?" Fang asked.

"You can't Max!" Nudge said.

"How do we know if we can trust them?" Angel questioned.

"Are you really going to blow our cover?" Gazzy asked.

"Guys! I'm the leader and I say we show them, and besides. He saved my life, remember? I'm pretty confident in saying we can trust him." I pleaded with them and after a few moments got a range of uncertain, to ready for anything I say, nods.

And with that I shook out my wings and all the nonflock members stared in shock at the feathers protruding from my back.

"Is that what I think it is?" Harry asked in astonishment.

"Blimey." Ron muttered.

"Can you?. . . Can you fly?" Hermione inquired, astonished.

"Well duh." I replied.

"Well then I think it's settled." Harry snapped back to reality.

"Where are you going to take us?" I being the great and almighty leader that I was, had to ask.

"Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

**Authors Note: This chapter was so, so much fun to write, so I sincerely hope you enjoy it and review as always. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on the story so far, because if I honestly don't get more than five reviews I probably won't be as excited to write as I usually am, so chapters might be a little slow to come out *hint hint* Anyways I seriously want you to review. I mean, I've never been more serious in my life. If you could see me right now (which would be kind of creepy because you'd have to be, like, peeping in my bedroom window, so I'd probably have to get a restraining order) you would know that I wore my serious face.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors Note: Hello my peoples! You all managed that five review limit beautifully! I was very, very happy to reach my goal! Thanks to all that have reviewed so far, and special thanks to those who have added this story to alerts, so thanks for sticking with me, I really appreciate it. I don't want to make this note to long, so I'll get right down to business. This chapter is dedicated to reeeding foool for reviewing almost every chapter, you rock for that! Also to reader for realizing that it was a dementor along with jumpfurjoy. Anyways, here's the next chapter, I really hope you like it!**

**Chapter -:Five:-**

**This is a Joke. . . This Has Got to Be a Major Joke. There's No Other Possibilities **

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"Hogwarts School of. . ._ Witchcraft and Wizardry_?" I asked skeptically.

"That's right." Harry replied.

"You're kidding me right?" I said in disbelief.

"That I am not." Harry answered.

"That was a joke. . . right?" I still refused to believe what I had just heard. Witchcraft and wizardry? Oh, give me a break.

"It's not a joke, we swear." Hermione intervened.

"We just told you what has to be our most valuable secret and this is what you come up with as a response. You've get to do better than that, I mean, come on. Witchcraft and wizardry? That's just ludicrous." I insisted.

"Is it? I mean, I would have said the same exact thing if someone had told me that there were people that existed in this world with wings." Hermione was obviously intent on proving their identities to us. . . and as much as I detested to admit it, she did have a good point.

"Yeah well. . . well prove it. Prove that you attend this school for witches and wizards." I struggled for the right words and came up with the lamest comeback ever recorded in the history of this freaking entire world, and I'm not even being sarcastic right now.

She raised a little stick of her own, one almost exactly like Harrys, and with a flick of her wrist and a muttered word that sounded like "Avis," there was a burst and a flock of birds cascaded from her stick, which I now took to be a wand.

It was amazing really. All of a sudden there was nothing and then seemingly out of nowhere the birds appeared. It was like. . . well quite frankly it was like. . . magic. Amazing, wonderful, honest to goodness, magic.

"What the!?" Iggy cried out in amazement?

"Iggy?" I asked him in alarm. He couldn't even see for goodness sake. How the heck did he know what was going on.

"Angel." He said simply. She must have been projecting the image of the sudden spurt of birds in his mind. That would explain his sudden outburst.

"What is he talking about? That little girl isn't doing anything. That's me! It's all me!" Hermione said indignantly.

"No, he means. Oh, I'll explain later." I sighed in exasperation.

"Now do you believe us?" Ron inquired.

"I guess it would explain that weird thing you said before. . . and then when that stag appeared." I deftly ignored Ron and Hermione, only speaking to Harry.

"My Patronus **(A/N: Is that supposed to be capitalized???)**? Every witch or wizard has one, when they learn that is. I learned it last year. I'm the only one in my grade who can. Professor Lupin taught it too me. Mostly, though, because every time there was a Dementor attack I would pass out." Once again his eyes grew distant, like he was seeing a memory he didn't want to see. Kind of like when the Dementors were attacking me. I kept seeing my worst nightmares come to life, again.

"So do you believe us or not?" Ron demanded my attention.

"I suppose I don't have much of a choice now do I?" I snapped. I don't know why I was being so snippy with Ron. Maybe it was because of his hair color. I wasn't very partial to that stupid red color, _and it was all because of Lissa_, I hissed in my mind.

_Isn't that that one girl Fang dated back in Virginia? The one you hate because she took Fang? _Angel asked sweetly in my mind.

_I didn't care! I don't like Fang like that! _I guess I answered to quickly because next she said, _don't worry, Max. I won't tell anyone_.

_Tell anyone? Tell anyone what? ANGEL! _I cried out desperately though not aloud. I was frustrated to no end when she didn't reply.

"Max? Max are you still there?" I blinked, startled, to find Fang waving his hand in front of my face.

"What?" I inquired.

"Are we going to go with them or not?" He questioned me.

I looked past his shoulder at the trio that was assembled behind him. Harry, with his shaggy black hair, green eyes, glasses, and befuddling **(A/N: Haha, befuddling, oh I couldn't resist putting that in there, lol)** lighting strike scar. Then there was Ron, tall and gangly with that abhorred red color for hair. Last there was Hermione. That busy tangle of brown stuff she called hair, matched with her logical sense, which I could already tell she had, she seemed like the kind of person you could trust, but you never knew.

I made one of my famous executive split second decisions **(A/N: It went something like that. . .)** and said, "We'll go with you."

"Are you sure, Max?" Fang peered intently at me.

"I'm positive." I looked directly back at him, with a very stubborn 'don't even try to make me change my mind' look firmly planted on my face.

"Whatever you say Max, whatever you say." He rolled his eyes a little and turned to get his stuff.

When all of the flock had collected their things we turned to face Harry. I didn't like doing this. It gave me an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't want to have to depend on anyone else but me or one of the flock members. It wasn't how I was raised. Well, I guess growing up in a tiny little dog cage, and then being on the run for who knows how long, did that kind of thing to you.

"Ok then, all set?" He clapped his hands together and we all nodded wearily.

"Well you don't seem that excited," Ron muttered under his breath.

"Really? You caught that one, did you?" I replied icily.

"Wha-? How did you here me?" He peered at me in puzzlement.

"Let's just say we have advanced hearing. . . and strength. . . and speed. . . Oh don't forget eyesight also." I smirked at his shocked expression. God, you can't imagine how good it felt seeing someone all bug eyed, with their jaw dropped almost to the ground, knowing that you're the cause of that most obvious amazement and admiration. It just warmed my heart to look at him at that moment.

"That's all good and we'll have time to discuss it later, but for now can we focus on getting out of the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione injected.

"Why is it called the Forbidden Forest? I think that's a super cool name. It kind of rhymes, too. Is it forbidden? Are we not allowed in here? Will we get in trouble? Will we get arrested? I don't really want to be arrested, I mean, you'd have to wear those ugly orange jumpsuits! Oh, those are horrible! Doesn't anyone have any fashion sense in there? Because, like, if it were me I would make everyone-" Nudges motor mouth was stopped by Iggy who had slapped his hand over her mouth with an aggravated, and very annoyed sigh.

"It's called the Forbidden Forest, because it's extremely dangerous, which is why I think it would be better if we were heading out now." Hermione tried to usher us forwards.

"Why is it dangerous?" I ground my heels into the dirt floor, making it impossible for her to move me, even if she tried, which wouldn't have been wise on her part.

"We'll talk about it later, now if we could just get moving!" She was becoming quite frazzled. It was very funny.

"Nope. We're not going anywhere until_ you _answer _my_ questions." I popped the 'p' in nope. She groaned in aggravation and ran her hand through her hair, causing it to become even more puffy.

"It's dangerous because of the creatures that live here, and don't even ask what kind of creatures there are because I honestly don't know. All kinds really. Some are harmless like unicorns and such, but there are other more terrifying monsters like those Dementors. Some things you don't want to run into while your alone, maybe even if you're in a group like ours." She informed me hurriedly. I smiled but it was more of a smirk and gestured to Harry that he should lead the way. I, of course, did this with some unease, because I was the leader of my flock, therefore I should have been the one doing the leading, but right now I had to take whatever I could get.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Iggy watch out for that tree!" I cried out, but it was too late. He rammed head first into the trunk and raised his hands to grasp his head, crying out in pain. Well, more accurately he was swearing in pain, which wasn't a good influence on the younger kids, but hey, I couldn't blame him. He had hit his head pretty hard.

We had been only been traveling for about seven minutes. I was actually surprised her hadn't run into anything before that, but he hadn't. I knew it had been coming though.

"OH! Ouch [Insert a lot of swear words of your choice here]! God that hurt [insert more swear words of your choice here]! Dang!"

"Didn't you see that huge tree coming at you?" Hermione laughed and the flock froze. The younger kids gasped, Fang grimaced a little and I bit my lip apprehensively.

"Did. . . I. . . See. . . It?" Iggy said slowly.

"Well I don't see how you could miss it." Hermione seemed to be getting a little nervous at that moment.

"OF COURSE I DIDN'T SEE IT!" He exploded. "I'm blind you idiot," He snapped.

"Calm down mate! There's no need to shout at her!" Ron exclaimed.

"No Ron, it's fine. I deserved that. I'm so sorry Iggy. I. . . I had no idea. You got around perfectly fine by yourself before. I. . . I never even expected-"

"Whatever," he snarled coldly and that ended that awkward conversation.

The rest of the way the Gasman was by Iggy's side, guiding him along.

"We're almost there." Harry said, seemingly reading my mind, because I was just about to open my mouth and complain.

"Oh. . . ok." I said indifferently. He turned to give me a brief smile, which I returned.

A few minutes later, I saw a golden light filtering in through the trees up ahead, and I could see great breaks in the plants, where vegetation grew sparse.

When we reached this place, all of us stepped out of the last fringe of jungle and were met with a magnificent sight.

First there was a small cottage like hut, that had smoke coming out of its chimney. On the steps was what had to be, hands down, the biggest person I had ever seen and I didn't mean fat, I meant tall. He was huge and bulky.

"Hello there, Harry **(A/N: I really wouldn't be able to type how Hagrid talks, sorry. I would probably mess it all up)**. Who're your friends there?" He seemed to see us for the first time as we approached him along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Hi there Hagrid. This is-" He continued on to introduce us I think, but I was too caught up with the other building in view to pay to close attention to that.

It was vastly magnificent to say the least. It rose up in the sky, complete with the round turret towers and all. It was the most beautiful, picturesque castle I had ever seen. Light glinted off of the stain glass windows and I had to catch my breath at the sight.

This was all just too much. I didn't know how many more of these extreme surprises I could take in only a short amount of time.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Harry whispered behind me.

_Yeah, welcome to Hogwarts_, I thought contently.

**Authors Note: Ok peoples I'd really like ten reviews this time. I know you can do it people. I'd really appreciate it if you'd try. I'm trying not to be unreasonable, but I think you can all manage ten. Thanks.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note: Happy, happy, happy!!! First off the twilight DVD and new Max Ride book!!! YAY! And then I got another twilight shirt and the game, which looks really fun, even though I have virtually no one to play it with since I never see my friends outside of school *pout*. Then I might, no I WILL, go and see Race to Witch Mountain, because I love ALEXANDER LUDWIG!!! He's just so awesome and he's definitely #2 on my hot guys (fictional and nonfictional) list. After Edward, before Fang that is. Also this really annoying guy I know read this book that I recommended (The Hunger Games, although he swears he only got it because I said kids had to kill each other in it) and said it was awesome, so I was all "yeah I know, and who told you about it? Huh? Me? That's right." Anyways I'm in a very good mood so I thought I might cut you all a break and not make you wait until you reach ten reviews. This will probably be the only break I cut you though so stay aware!**

**Dedication: BellaRide28 (for her total enthusiasm and dedication, which I really appreciate!!!)**

**Chapter -:Six:-**

**This is. . . Unbelievable. . . This is. . . This is Just Amazing. There Are No Words to Describe How I'm Feeling At This Moment**

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"We need to see Professer Dumbledore, _now_." Harry demanded.

We had stayed to chat with Hagrid for only a short while, before Harry ushered us towards the entrance of the castle. He wanted to introduce us to Dumbledore. We were going our own little merry way, not meeting anybody. The halls were a ghost town. No one was in sight. There was no hint to any sort of human activity what so ever. That is until we ran into this dude.

"All in good time Mr. Potter. All in good time." The evil looking man with greasy chin length hair and flowing charcoal black robes snapped.

"But Professer Snape it's of the utmost importance!" Harry cried out in impatience.

"I suggest you stop shouting or the whole lot of you will have detentions tonight," the man hissed in a snake like manner. The way he spoke had shivers running up and down my spine. It was just so soft and low, yet so evil sounding. I could already tell he was not going to be among my favorites at this school.

"Uh, news flash. You can't give the six of us detentions. We don't even go to this school." I pushed my way to the front of the group, where I belonged.

"Really? Well then pray do tell what exactly you are doing here?" The man stared me down, but no matter how creeped out I was feeling at the moment he was not going to break me, so I settled my gaze on him just as promptly.

"Professer Snape, sir, we really don't have time for this! We have to speak with Professer Dumbledore!" Hermione tried to reason with him, but he ignored her.

"Where exactly did you find these ruffians, exactly?" Professer Snape, as I took to be his name, changed his focus to Harry.

"We rescued them from some Dementors." Harry replied steadily.

"There were Dementors on campus?" Snape feigned shock.

"Well. . . um. . . not exactly" Harry stuttered.

"Then in Hogsmeade?" Snape suggested, though I could see the evil glint in his eye. He had Harry right were he wanted him.

"No, sir." Harry mumbled and seemed to find his shoes very interesting at that moment.

"Well then where?" Snape didn't try to hide the fact that he had Harry cornered now. He smiled maliciously at him.

"The. . . The Forbidden Forest." Harry sighed in defeat and Snape's smile grew even more pronounced in triumph.

"Well, as you should know by now, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to students. I think your punishment should be something much more severe than a detention. Perhaps you could take a break from Quiditch this year. Mhm, what do you think, _Potter_?" He sneered the name as he spoke.

"No!" Harry shouted and his voice was filled with agony. I would have been feeling very sorry for him at that moment if I hadn't been so consumed up in my own thoughts.

_What the heck was Quiditch?_

"Now I suggest you three skedaddle on back to class while I take these others to have a nice visit to the hospital wing. After all they did just survive a Dementor attack from what you've said. They'll need medical attention and plenty of rest to recover."

"Professer Snape, I think I can take everything from here." A great, booming, and I know this sounds kind of corny, but majestic voice rang through the empty corridors, echoing off the walls and demanding every ones attention.

"Of course, professer." Snape bowed his head a little and spun on his heel, making his robes twirl a little, and he stalked briskly off in the direction he had come from before. He had seemed a little disappointed and quite a lot reluctant to leave though.

"Hello Professer Dumbledore." Harry greeted someone standing behind us.

I turned slowly and saw, standing at the top of the steps we had just descended, a man in pale gray robes and a long, and I mean _long_, white beard. His nose was slightly crooked and he held a gnarled sort of wand in his hand, not as smooth as the ones I had seen and much longer.

"Good afternoon Harry, Ron, Hermione. And welcome to Hogwarts Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel." He greeted us each in turn, strolling lazily down the steps as he spoke.

"How did you-?" I began.

"That is not the most pressing matter at the moment. More importantly, you three should get back to class, while I escort Max and her flock here to my office to have a nice chat." Dumbledore smiled pleasantly, but his tone was stern. I kind of liked it. The sound of it read 'I mean business' and I liked that. I could _use_ that.

Harry nodded sort of reluctantly and gave me one last meaningful glance that seemed to say 'You'll be perfectly safe with him' and then he climbed the stairs, nodded to Dumbledore once more, before disappearing around the corner with Ron and Hermione.

"Follow me, please." Dumbledore's face was lit up by a soft smile that was playing around the edges of his lips and he led us in the direction in which we had been headed at first.

"How did you know who we were?" This time he let me finish the question I had been about to ask before, when he so subtly cut me off.

"Let's just say I have my ways." He was now walking ahead of us so I couldn't see his face to tell if it held some malicious intent or if his expression mirrored the joking manner his voice seemed to hold.

"Well if that isn't the exact thing to say to make me nervous." I mumbled, but he just continued along, humming softly to himself. He appeared to be in a sort of dreamlike state. Happy and content.

A few minutes later and a lot of winding and twisting walk ways Dumbledore stopped abruptly in front of a large dragon like statue.

"Why are we-?" I was about to say, when I was once again cut off by him announcing "Cockroach Clusters."

"What?" I asked when suddenly the stature began to move towards us. It took me a moment to realize it wasn't the stone animal itself moving, but the wall behind it.

Dumbledore stepped right inside, but I hesitated.

"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. All it leads to is my office." I gasped a little when he said this. He hadn't even turned around! How did he know what I was doing.

I clambered hastily in after him.

Once all the flock was safely inside the little entryway, the wall swung back shut, sealing us in.

"Just up these stairs." He motioned for us to follow.

_Good_, I thought. _I hope there are windows up here, just in case._

We walked in under a great archway. At first all I noticed was the strange whirring noises in the air. On a table sat many odd looking contraptions that were all spinning rapidly in some way or another. The next thing I noted was a wide, magnificent looking desk, sat on a sort of raised dais in the center of the room. There were various comfortable, and uncomfortable looking chairs seated around it, in no seemingly particular order. I took into account that there were also many portraits hanging around the room. I jumped a little when I saw them moving about, even disappearing at times, only to reappear a short moment after.

There were some very regal looking men and women with straight, serious faces, while others looked happy and were smiling hugely. The last think was the most amazing thing I had seen yet. It was a bird, but not just any ordinary old bird. It was seated patiently and so still on it's own little stand which was odd in itself enough. That wasn't all though. It was bright orange and fire engine red in different places. It's tail was a blaze in flames and I caught my breath at the sight. It was just so. . . so beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen before.

"I see you've noticed Fawkes. Quite a beauty isn't she?" Dumbledore murmured.

"Yeah. . . Beautiful." Was all I could manage to even whisper. I think all my flock was stunned at this most amazing discovery.

"Yes, well you'll have much more time to get to know each other, but right now I'd like to make a proposal to you all, so please, have a seat, have a seat." Dumbledore planted himself firmly in his chair behind the desk, hands folded out in front of him.

"And what proposal might that be?" When I blinked my eyes stayed closed for a few seconds longer than they should have. I had been running high on an energy burst, but that was quickly fading and I was becoming quite worn out now.

"I'll make it fast, and then you must go and rest while I arrange for someone to come and check up on you." Dumbledore made a sort of tsk tsk noise with his tongue. Was he really pinning the fault on us for our state in appearance and health? Had he expected us to take our yearly trip to the doctors office? If he did then he was crazy.

"Then what is your proposal exactly?" I leaned back in my chair heavily.

"I would very much like for you to attend school here. It would be a wonderful experience for you all I must say, although some of the younger ones will have to wait a few years to start classes. I personally believe you would benefit so much from learning at what has to be one of the most prestigious schools there ever was. It is strictly for witches and wizards and I daresay you have so much potential. Almost as much as I see in young Harry Potter. You and him are much more alike then you think. You all have very troubled pasts. I won't tell you what his is though. That's highly personal and I will not hand over that most confidential information unless he has instructed me otherwise. It would be wise not to go asking questions either. He'll tell you all about his past in time." He seemed to have said all he needed to say, because he was now staring at me, waiting for my decision.

"As nice as that sounds I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline the offer. We lead pretty dangerous lives, Professer dumbledore. More so then you can possibly imagine. We're constantly on the run day in and day out. Always being hunted and followed. It's an impossibility for us to stay put in one place with this mightily uncomfortable burden hanging over our heads at all times, and it's hardly fair that we have to live the life we do, but that can't be helped. You see Professer, my family and I have been on the run for who knows how long. We won't be able to stay and worry about school work, since I'm sure you won't allow us to come and go as we please, simply on our own accounts." I hated looking at the disappointed faces of my flock, but I was the leader and let's face it, every thing I said had been true. They couldn't deny that.

"I understand that Max, I truly do. You are wrong, however, to suggest that you would have to be constantly leaving and coming back to visit for short periods of time." Dumbledore informed me.

"How so?" I asked, puzzled.

"Do you honestly think this School of yours and Itex is more powerful them the wizarding world?" Dumbledore inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Once again I was confused beyond belief. How did he know about the School and Itex. I knew for a fact that I had never mentioned anything about them to anyone at all. It was like Dumbledore knew everything there was to know about us. I was slightly more creeped out then I had been before.

"Well I don't actually kn-" I began, but he didn't let me finish. . . once again. I hope this wasn't going to become a habit of his.

"Exactly! If you stayed here you would be provided with the utmost security. No hunters from the School would be able to enter this fortress, so now there isn't anything to worry about. The only complication you had has been solved, now all you need to do is come to a decision." He clapped his hands together.

"Well. . . I don't really know about this," I said uncertainly.

There were whines of protest from my flock.

"Come on Max!" Gazzy jumped to his feet.

"Oh Max!" Angel wailed.

"Please, please, please!" Nudge clasped her hands together like she was going to pray and kneeled down before me.

"Max! This is awesome! You can't turn an offer for a normal. . . well almost normal. . . remotely normal life, can you?" Iggy asked in disbelief.

I groaned a little as I looked down to see Angel imitating Nudge, except now they were looking up at me with, oh the horrible, dreaded. . . BAMBI EYES!

"Fine." I sighed. There were loud cheers of excitement then I was tackled in a seriously bone crushing hug.

"Settle down please." Dumbledore called out calmly over the uproar.

"Now we must discuss some other things. First of all you, Fang, and Iggy will be joining the fourth years along with Harry. Since Nudge is about to turn twelve we'll let her join the first years. Sadly, Angel and the Gasman are to young to partake in classes so we will be setting up a safe house for them right on the school grounds, so you won't have to worry and fret over them, Max." I had started getting panicky when he had said Angel and Gazzy couldn't attend the school, I'll admit it, but I was extremely relieved to hear that they would be close, and that I could see them everyday. . . Just not twenty four seven, like I was used to. That would take me a while to get over.

"WHAT!?" Gazzy screeched in protest and Angels face crumpled into a frown.

"Don't worry guys. You'll be right on campus. You have nothing to worry about." I assured them.

"I don't care about that, Max," he said in a 'duh' sort of way. "I'm just mad because I'll miss out on all the fun!"

"Does this mean you agree to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Dumbledore asked calmly, but I could detect a note of excitement in his tone.

"I guess so."

That was all I managed to say before I blinked my eyes again, except this time they glued themselves shut and I slumped over, out solid before I even hit the ground. Drifting lazily off into dreamland. Floating softly somewhere on a cloud. That was how exhausted I was.

**Authors Note: Awwweee, poor Max. She's totally beat man. Although I have no one else to blame but myself. I think this chapters review goal will go back to five again. Mostly though because you guys didn't even get close to ten. You weren't even close to five, so I think I'll take it even more gradually. FIVE PEOPLE, FIVE!!!! That's all I need and then I'll be updating the next chapter. Wouldn't you like that?. . . I thought you might.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors Note: Hey one and all that are reading this story, I would like to thank you and all my reviewers. You all totally rock! Anyways I went and saw Race to Witch Mountain. It was awesome. I got to stare at the guy that I freaking love for almost two hours. It was awesome. Although I did tear up a bit when he got knocked out (whoops, spoiler!). Even if it was only fake! Then I got some new clothes, two new books and the twilight DVD. All in all it's been a very good day. Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it. If not. . . well it's your loss.**

**Chapter -:Seven:-**

**This is Bad. . . Psh, That's The Understatement of The Century. How About All Hell Has Broken Loose On My Little Makeshift Family**

**____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I woke up and my head was so fuzzy. I couldn't even focus on even one of my thoughts. It was like I had the worlds worst hangover. Man, it was bad. I let out a groan of displeasure and opened my eyes in narrow slits. I glanced around groggily to see something I hadn't expected.

I was lying down in what looked like a hospital bed and there were many more surrounding it. The room was very long, and held many beds but none other than mine was occupied. It was like a freaking infirmary.

When my brain finally processed this information I shot up straight like a jet, eyes wide as saucers. I attempted to swing my leg over the side when a hand came down on my shoulder and gently pushed me back down. It was a surprise to me. The person had only touched with the lightness of a feather, but I slammed back into the pillow as if a wrecking ball had come hurtling towards me. Dang, I must be really weak for something like that to knock me right down.

Fang's face filled my vision as I peered startled up at him.

"Where am I?" I was surprised when my voice didn't shake like I had expected. It came out as strong and demanding as always.

"Don't you remember?" He seemed confused at my question. It was at that moment that I realized how close we were. His body was hovering slightly over mine, as he bent over me. His figure was practically smashed onto mine. With these thoughts I could feel my face heating up. What the heck!? Was I blushing? Because if so I have to stop it right now! Maximum Ride does not, I repeat does NOT blush!

"All I remember is losing consciousness in Professor** (A/N: Thanks to bookworm for pointing out that I had been spelling Professor wrong before. When I spell checked it didn't say anything so I didn't pay that much attention to it, so thanks for pointing that out!)** Dumbledore's office after I agreed to attend Hogwarts and that's it." I answered truthfully, staring mesmerized at his lips. WHAT!? I seriously did not just think that. . . Did I? Please God please, tell me I didn't! I do not like Fang like that. At all.

"You're still at the school, well not 'The' the School but at Hogwarts that is. In the hospital wing." Fang informed me.

"Oh. Where is everybody else? Are they ok? What are they doing? Are they being supervised? I could just imagine all the trouble they could get in within the first five minutes they were left alone here. How long have I been asleep? Not long I hope." Man, I was turning into another Nudge. I could tell Fang was just as astounded as I was. His eyes were a little wider then usual and his mouth was parted in surprise. He looked really cute that way. Uhhh, no, no ,no, no , no. I didn't say that! Scratch that thought and don't you ever think about it again!

"Ummm. The flock is fine. . . and you've been out for about sixteen hours." Fang was still eyeing me curiously.

"Oh. . . that's good. What time is it then?" I was now trying to avoid his gaze.

"About five A.M." He replied.

"I think that's the longest I've ever slept. Sixteen hours." I whistled a little.

"Max?" Fang's hand caressed my cheek as he pulled my face over to meet his.

"Yeah?" I was having some trouble breathing. How did he manage to do this to me all the time? Why did he try to make me react like this?

"Are you ok?" He whispered and his face came a little closer. That was starting to make me very uncomfortable.

"Yeah." I said breathlessly. What, now I was at a loss of words? Could I not manage to think up some sarcastic remark like I always did at the present moment? This was just great. This was absolutely fan-freaking-tastic.

As soon as I uttered that last word his lips came crashing down on mine and my ability to think straight and coherent thoughts was disrupted. All I knew was the way his lips were moving on mine, and the way mine were moving on his. I was in ecstasy. It was blissfully perfect. I loved it. I loved him **(A/N: Those last two sentences are actually from the book. I love those lines though so I thought I'd have her think them. . . again.). **I knew that. I honestly did, but it was still too confusing. I wanted this to go on forever, but I needed him to stop at the same time. One, because I really needed, I don't know, to breath possibly, and two I had to make it stop. He was my best friend, my right hand man, but he was also practically my brother. Things would just be too awkward if we were together. I wouldn't ruin our friendship over something like that. I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't. I couldn't do it. . . but God he was amazing. It just felt so right, but so wrong, too.

Uh, crazy raging teenage hormones.

"I wonder if Max is awake yet?" I heard someone say out in the hall.

"Yeah me, too. She's been out, like, forever. Wasn't that fun back there though. This place is sooo awesome! I'm sooo happy Max is letting us stay here. The school is really cool and I'm really excited to start classes. Didn't you see that girl turn that cup into a mouse? That was totally cool, and that other boy blew his up! I'm super glad Professor Dumbledore took us on a tour. He's really cool don't you think? I d-" That was definitely Nudge chattering away like she always did.

"NUDGE! For goodness sakes my ears are bleeding! Will you SHUT UP!" Iggy exclaimed and the door started creeping open.

Fang reluctantly pulled back and took what I assumed to be his former position, a chair that was seated right beside my bed.

"MAX!" My little Angle cried joyously and ran over to my side. She jumped up on the bed and proceeded to bounce up and down in excitement there.

"You're awake!" Gazzy came over and took my hand, smiling dazzlingly up at me.

"Finally." Iggy moaned but smiled at me, his clear blue, unseeing eyes staring directly at me, as if he could actually see me there.

"I thought you would never wake up! Dumbledore took us on a tour of the school and grounds and stuff, and oh Max! This place is, like, hands down, the coolest place we've ever been! Even Paris wouldn't compare. I remember this one ti-" Iggy slapped his hand over Nudges mouth. They glared at each other for a few minutes but then eventually turned back to face me.

"Are you ready to leave yet?" Iggy asked me.

"Yeah I supposed. I'm not tired anymore if that's what you mean. Why?" I questioned his suspiciously.

"Because it's almost breakfast time, and then, Dumbledore told us if you were ready we'd be put into our house, don't ask me what it means, I don't actually know yet, and we might be able to attend classes already!" As Iggy was saying this he clutched his stomach like he was in pain. That was also the time when my own stomach growled ravenously and everyone had a good laugh about that, believe me.

I flushed a little and then got up. Aside from a little wobbling in which Fang had to help steady me, God how embarrassing, I was perfectly fine now.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

This had to be the most nerve wracking thing I had ever done in my entire life. Fighting, and majorly kicking I might add, Eraser or Flyboy butt was nothing compared to this. Psh, all that was easy.

Standing up in front of a huge mass of kids wearing black robes wolfing down almost every breakfast food imaginable? Now that was tough.

"Attention, Attention!" Dumbledore called out and every one immediately quieted down instantly. Man, if only I could get the flock to do that for me. That would make my job a heck of a lot easier.

"Good morning students. I am very pleased to announce that we will be welcoming four new students today, so Professor McGonagall will you please bring forth the sorting hat?" Dumbledore gestured to the woman sitting beside him. She walked around the table and brought an old, dusty looking hat with her. In her other hand was a small parchment scroll.

"Nudge?" She read off the first name on the piece of paper and looked questioningly at our group.

"That's me! Wow, I didn't think I would get to go first. Man, this is so totally exciting I just can't wa-" She was babbling away at a time like this?

"Nudge!" I said sharply and she shut her mouth and waltzed up to Professor McGonagall.

"Have a seat please." She commanded and Nudge sat immediately down on the stool that had been placed there for us to sit on. She then proceeded to place the hat on Nudge's head and we waited. . . and waited some more. The rest of the flock was getting a lot more than a little anxious but Nudge looked eFnraptured. Suddenly the hats flap lifted like a mouth and it called out loudly "GRYFFINDOR!"

One of the four tables in the huge cafeteria erupted in applause and Nudge skipped happily over to where Harry was seated.

"Iggy?" Professor McGonagall looked utterly dumbfounded at our names.

"Max." Iggy whispered.

"What?" I said out of the corner of my mouth.

"I don't know where I'm supposed to go." I frowned a little.

"Of course not Ig. Come on." I grabbed his arm and lead him over to the spot where he was supposed to be.

"Sit." I commanded and he did.

"What's going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"He's blind Professor." I informed her. She look seemed minorly **(A/N: I don't know if minorly is spelled right. Spell check said it was but didn't give me any right alternatives, but you probably understand what it means though.)** shocked but then nodded her head briskly and set the hat on Iggy's head.

After a short pause, that wasn't nearly as long as Nudge's the hat exclaimed "GRYFFINDOR!" Once more.

This time Nudge scampered up the steps with an excited squeal and led Iggy to where she had been sitting before.

"Max?" Professor McGonagall asked me and I sat down and crossed my arms.

The hat was barely on my head before is shouted out "GRYFFINDOR!"

I smiled in gratitude. There was no way I was being separated from the rest of the flock and then, after my applause, I went and sat promptly beside Iggy and Nudge.

"Fang?" I think she had almost had it with our names. This one seemed to surprise her the most though.

Fang rolled his eyes and sat down. He did not look like he was enjoying himself.

This time it felt like the hat was on his head for hours and hours. I even saw a few kids check there watches so I knew it wasn't just me being paranoid. Why was it taking so long though? Couldn't that stupid hat just announce Gryffindor and get it over with.

I sat forward on the edge of my seat when the hat opened it's little flap. In it's high, clear, booming voice it announced to the whole school the earth shattering news. When its word reached my ears I nearly fell off the bench in surprise.

**Authors Note: Ohhhh cliffy. It's a love hate relationship with those cliffhangers isn't it? I need you to review people. I want ten again this time. You almost made it to ten last chapter so I think we can do it for this one. TEN, TEN, TEN!!!! Get that into your heads! If ten people don't review there will be no chapter. Got it? Good. **

**PS. I decided I'd put a little Fax in there for ya because there might not be any for awhile. You'll see in the next couple of chapters why.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note: I'm a bad author. I'm a very irresponsible author. I set a limit and you guys were amazing, and totally exceeded that limit. Now I feel bad because when you reached my goal I hadn't even started on the chapter. I've been really busy though. What with practice tests and volleyball. I have to play on my club team, plus with the fourteens in their tournament this weekend and they do a completely different set up them us younger ones. So I have to learnt that and I'm really stressed out right now, and I have this really awesome book I'm reading. The House of Night novels (check them out, they're really good!), so I've been cooped up in my own little world for awhile, but here's the next chapter.**

**Dedication: Hyper-Dinosaur-Says-RAWR, because her review made me laugh, which was much, much needed at the time, so thank you.**

**Chapter -:Eight:-**

**This Can Not Be Happening. Why Do I Have This Feeling That My Decision Is Going To Affect Everything To Come?**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat announced for the whole room to hear. My muscles locked and the blood running through my veins turned cold. That hat wasn't as cool anymore as I thought it was.

The table farthest from us, on the other side of the room, erupted in cheers, which frankly, really freaking annoyed me. It was like they actually thought he was going to be with them, which he wasn't. I wouldn't allow it.

This much was true, but I still couldn't bring myself to move an inch. I just sat there. Eyes wide open in shock, gazing up at Fang who looked utterly bewildered himself. I stared deep into his dark eyes, trying to get past the deep abyss of no emotion. Couldn't he even permit me just this once to see how he felt? Just this once couldn't he let me in?

As the general uproar dwindled and came to a halt I still couldn't move. I just kept looking into his eyes, probing for answers that I knew I wouldn't find. Out of my peripheral vision I saw the Slytherin people giving each other confused glances. Fang hadn't moved either. The only movement he had made the whole time was to stand fluidly, but he had stopped there. Catching my eye. Even when whispers arose from even the rest of the tables he didn't make an advance toward the Slytherins. He just stood stalk still. I didn't know what he was waiting for. I didn't even know what I was waiting for. A sign maybe. Something that could tell me what to do. Something that could release me from this bind.

Then I saw it. It was just the briefest flicker of some emotion in his eyes that came and went so quickly that I had no time to decipher what it had actually been, but it was enough. With a jolt I jumped to my feet and yelled at the top of my lungs, which was very, very loud, "WHAT!?"

People stared at me in surprise and some of the Gryffindors looked a little embarrassed at my outburst, but didn't care about what they thought. All I was worried about at the moment was the future of my flock. My family.

I started off for the front again, rewarding myself with surprised looks, and some glares too. Oh, well. They could say what they wanted about me, and they could most certainly glare at me all they wanted. It didn't effect my resolve what so ever.

I came to a stop right in front of Dumbledore, and looking him straight in the eyes I said, "I don't think so."

"Well, whatever do you mean, Maximum?" He seemed genuinely confused, to a simpleton that is, but I was smarter then that. I saw right through his elaborate facade, and I wasn't going to fall into the trap he seemed to have set.

"I agreed to attend classes here because my flock wanted, too. But there was no agreement made to let you split us up as you have. It's bad enough that Angel and Gazzy can't be here. Do you think I want them to have to stay outside on campus? Do you honestly think them being merely close like that is going to settle the worry in me? Because if so I'll tell you something. Them being in my plain sight still gets me worried. We've been in each others company for so long, every day from sunrise to nightfall. Bonds and habits like that don't easily break.

"So in fact, now that I think of it, you've already broken up my flock, but you won't damage it anymore. I don't give a crap what that freaking hat says, so Fang can be in Gryffindor with the rest of us or we're out of here." I snarled at him.

The teachers and, well to be entirely truthfull, the whole student body looked taken aback, but Dumbledore stayed calm.

"Dearest Maximum. I assure you that I in no way intentioned to split up your family." He patted my shoulder and I jerked away from him.

"Max." I heard Fang say.

"Shut up, Fang!" I growled and turned back to Professor Dumbledore.

"Well no matter what your intentions were you can't deny that my accusations are true." I pointed out.

"Max!" Fang repeated.

"Fang just shut up and let me talk!" I shot a glare at him over my shoulder and he just smirked a little then turned abruptly serious, but I had already turned away from him.

"Max!" He grabbed my shoulder roughly but I didn't falter a step.

"What!?" I spun around and gave him one of my famous death glares.

"It doesn't matter to me." Fang said.

"What are you talking about?" I arched an eyebrow.

"What house I'm in. It doesn't matter to me." He replied.

"The [Insert swear word of your choice here] it doesn't."

"God Max, it's not like I'm moving to a different continent or something. I'll still see you and the flock all the time." His mouth quirked up a bit at the corner but then straightened out almost as quickly.

"But Fang." I peered up at him intensly. Trying to communicate without words like we always did, but he wasn't getting the message, so I had to resolve to pleading with my eyes, buit he still didn't respond to that either.

"It'll be fine Max," he assured me. . . but he was wrong.

I had had another dream. A nightmare really. It had been horrible. Not scary and gruesome like the Dementors. No, this one was more heart wrenching and painfully sad and over all shocking then the other one.

It had seemed like a normal day. I was just walking down the hall at Hogwarts, headed to lunch apparently, books in my hand, when I turned a corner and saw Fang. He was there looking dark, handsome, and very mysterious with a group of other Slytherins. One was a pale boy with blond hair and a permanent scowl etched onto his face. There were two other mean looking guys. Real beefy and built. They looked like the type of chumps that would go around beating up little kids for fun. That didn't intimidate me though. I could take them both with one hand tied behind my back if it came down to it.

A little panic ran through me at the sight of them though. My dream self had been thinking about how distant Fang had become of the late. He hardly ever approached her, and when she did try to talk to him he always seemed to have to be somewhere else. Leaving no time but for a quick hello and then he was gone. It was really unnerving my dream self, too. She, well I really, how about we just call her she, but it will actually be me? Ok, well, she had been planning on confronting Fang and demanding to know what his problem was when this little opportunity had been thrust so suddenly at her.

"Hello Fang." She stopped right in the middle of the hallway, planning on forcing him to look at her.

He did just that, but his expression was one neither I, nor she wanted to see. It was a cold sneer and he opened his mouth like he was going to say something awful, but instead he just snapped it shut again and pushed past her, never looking back.

I knew, now at this moment that was going to happen. I could feel it in my gut, but I didn't want to believe it. I refused to believe my dream was real. I forced myself to say ok and be done with it. Fang wouldn't turn his back on me and the flock. No he would never. He had promised he'd never leave me and I knew he felt compelled to keep that promise. This gave me the hope and encouragement that I hadn't had before, so with a stern look I gazed into his eyes and got lost in their never ending depth.

I vaguely heard myself say, "Fine."

Then I was brought down to earth again when Fang smiled crookedly at me and all my previous fears melted away. My whole day brightened just to see his amazing, wonderful, beautifully brilliant smile that he rarely graced our presence with.

I turned to walk back to my seat, and Fang followed.

"No matter what happens though, the flock still sticks together, and I'm still the leader, and don't you ever forget it." I reminded him.

"Whatever you say Max, whatever you say." He rolled his eyes and went to join his house mates, while I joined mine.

Looking back I knew I should have payed a lot more attention to my intuition then I did. It would have saved me a lot of pain, suffering, and heartbreak. Well, I guess you never know until it's too late.

**Authors Note: Ok this one is a little shorter then the others, but it held a lot I think. Chapter review goal is ten again. TEN, TEN, TEN!!!! Get that in your heads so you can click that review button and hop to it!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note: Ok first of all don't talk about the fifth book with me. I'm already really upset because I haven't got it yet. I want to scream because when I went to get it, the place that I had got the other books from didn't have any of them anymore, and when I went to the only other book store we have it wasn't there either, so I'm very mad that I don't get a chance to read it yet and I'm so standing on the edge at the moment. I guess I'll have to order it online and then wait, and wait some more for it to come. Darn.**

**Also I would like to clear up some confusion somebody must have although no ones said anything about it.**

**1. How about we say Max, Fang, and Iggy are almost fifteen so they'll be in the fourth year along with Harry and his gang, while Nudge has already turned twelve ok?**

**2. This takes place after MR book 4 obviously, while it also takes place during Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.**

**3. I'm going to try to make Iggy and Max as sarcastic as ever, but I might not be good at it, so please give me some good remarks if you would. I can never come up with those kinds of things when I really focus on in it. My mind just works weird like that. Ideas come to me when I least expect them. It's when I have to really sit down and think about it that my mind turns blank. Now I'm off topic and by saying that I'm getting even more off topic and by saying that- you see where I'm going with this**

**Disclaimer: You probably know what this means so- I DON'T own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter. If you thought I did you must have been crazy. If I did I would be a really rich author who probably wouldn't spend the time of day writing this stupid Fic about my own book. Get the picture? Once again I'm not going to post this on every chapter. I'll do it every once in a while, so take note of this right here!**

**Dedication: OutsideJokes, for I don't really know why actually. For reviewing steadily I guess. . . Would that be a good reason? Because I think it's a good reason. I love steady reviewers, lol.**

**Chapter -:Nine:-**

**Awesome Food, a Blind Mutant Freak Acting Weirder Then Usual, and Your Best Friends New Friend. Pretty Normal Day For me**

**____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

The rest of the night flew by in a blur.

I remember jumping in shock when mountains upon mountains of food magically appeared on the gold plates before me. I recall Nudge squealing in delight and Iggy gasping in wonder after Nudge told him what had just happened. I also remember turning towards where Fang was sitting, trying to catch his eye, but he was to busy talking to some other kid to notice me.

After that the delicious scent that was wafting off all the different food articles finally got to me and well, to put it lightly, I stuffed my face along with the other members of the flock that were seated with me. The food was just so darn good though. Some people were even staring at the three of us mutant freaks in shock. Probably because of the large quantity of food we had already practically inhaled.

Then the most wonderful, glorious thing had happened. The food we had been eating disappeared and was replaced with delicious looking deserts.

If I hadn't know better I would have thought I had died and went to heaven, or wherever mutant bird kids went after they past away, that is.

The thought of all the food was most likely the reason I woke up with my stomach growling ferociously this morning.

"What was that!?" Hermione was already sitting up in bed, perfectly dressed with her wild mane of hair that could rival even Nudge's curls, was pulled back half way very neatly. She was sitting on her already made bed, reading some book with a weird title that I didn't even want to go into a discussion about at the moment. All I knew was that it had something to do with history. That was the only word I recognized, really.

"My stomach." I replied sheepishly, and my face reddened in embarrassment.

"Well I can hardly see how you could be hungry. You, Nudge, and Iggy practically ate the whole table." She seemed shocked.

"Yeah, well what can I say. My family and I eat a lot more than you do."

"Well I'll say." She stood up and slammed her book shut.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Almost time to go to breakfast, so I would hurry up and get dressed if I were you." She started shoving things into her bag.

"What am I supposed to wear?" I inquired.

"You don't have any robes?" She blinked at me in surprise.

"No. . . Should I?"

"Well yes. That's the school uniform you could say. Here you can borrow some of mine. They'll probably be a bit to short though." She bustled around the room, like a hurricane, only one that picked up destruction instead of caused it.

"Hey, what's this?" I found a package sitting at the end of my bed. After I rolled it around in my hands for a moment, I shrugged a little and ripped the brown paper that had been wrapped around the item off with one swipe of my arm. It had been laying on my bed after all.

Inside I found a crisp white blouse and a coal black robe, resembling the ones I vaguely recalled all the other students wearing. Well not vaguely really. It was more like a swarm of black bees that had lost their yellow stripes. There was a kind of sign that was red and gold and had a lion emblazoned on it also. Underneath it all was one of the very articles of clothing I detested the most. A skirt. Oh the horror.

"Oh. Looks like you have your clothes after all. Go on. Get dressed." She added as I hesitated.

"I know, it's just. . . A skirt? Really?" I shuddered a little at the thought of wearing something like that again. It was bad enough at the stuck up school that Ann made us go to, but did I have to wear it here?

"Yes really. It's not that bad, I promise, just get dressed will you? We'll be late for breakfast if you don't, and then you won't be able to eat until lunch time." She informed me.

"Well when you put it that way."

I would broach the subject later. Right now I wanted to eat.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Max is wearing a skirt?" Iggy snickered and started laughing.

"How did you-?" I started to ask.

"Sorry Max. I just showed him a picture of you coming in. I don't know why he's laughing. I think you look pretty." A sweet, innocent voice said from the other side of him.

"Angel!" I exclaimed and went to hug her.

"Well then, we can clearly see who's your favorite here now can't we," Gazzy sniffed and put on a fake, hurt look.

"Ok Gazzy. I didn't even see you for one, and for two you know I don't have any favorites." I reached over and ruffled his hair.

"I'm rather shocked Max, and very, very hurt. Do you know how tough it is to be blind? Don't you think I need a hug every once in a while? Don't you think I deserve some sympathy." Iggy broke done in pretend sobs and I smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow." He muttered, rubbing the spot I had hit and then he turned back around and continued to eat.

"So have you guys been settled in yet?" I asked Angel and Gazzy as I took a sear beside Hermione and proceeded to fill the contents of my plate with a heaping pile of food that including but was not limited to: bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy, some hash browns, and an assorted amount of fruit.

"Oh Max our new house is so cool. You have to come see it sometime. There's just no way to explain it, it's so amazing. Dumbledore's really nice, too. He was helping us move things around how we wanted them with his wand and then he was showing us these really cool tricks and he was messing around just like a little kid." Angel gushed.

When she was talking about Dumbledore my heart squeezed a little and I felt kind of bad for going off on him last night. He had obviously went to extreme ends to give us this opportunity and he had been trying really hard to make us all comfortable and I had blown up in his face. Could you blame me though? I didn't want my flock split up anymore then necessary and this arrangement hardly seemed necessary to me, but I went along with it. Every one was really excited about staying here, and frankly, if I was being honest with myself, I was excited too. Besides, Fang could look after himself. He was a big boy after all. Speaking of Fang. . . Where was he?

I twisted around in my seat and caught sight of him at the far end of his table. He looked like he had just arrived. With utter dismay I realized he was perched on the bench right beside a boy with blond hair that was almost white. The same boy from my dream/nightmare. They were chatting animatedly with each other and I even think I saw Fang crack a smile at something he said. Well that was different.

"Have any of you guys talked to Fang yet?" I turned my attention back to our group.

"Nope." Nudge replied. That was a surprise. A one worded answer. Normally she would have taken this opportunity to speak and run with it.

"I haven't seen him around." Iggy said so seriously that I had to laugh.

"Of course you haven't Ig. I hate to break it to you, but you're blind. You're not going to be seeing anyone anytime soon." Everyone laughed including Hermione which seemed to really tick him off for some reason. He glared in her direction, and she stopped laughing immediately. Her smile fading slowly into a frown.

Then Iggy turned away and started talking to the Gasman pointedly and Hermione pushed the rest of her food around her plate half heartedly with a fork. When I asked her if she was hungry or not, she replied by saying she had lost her appetite. That was strange.

"We should probably head to class." Harry announced.

"I don't know where my first class is, and besides we don't have any school things. How are we supposed to do anything?" I inquired, realizing for that first time that my words were true. It was the first day of our new school and all of us were extremely unprepared.

"That's alright. Dumbledore instructed me to tell you to just accompany us to our classes. Then you'll just adopt that schedule. As for supplies he'll probably tell you about that later, because I have no idea what's going on there." Harry stood and I, along with my flock minus one hastily followed suit.

"See you at dinner Max." Angel hugged me once more and pranced off with Gazzy right at her heels.

"I'll catch up in a minute. I'm going to go talk to Fang." I said absentmindedly and I felt my feet navigate themselves towards Fang's retreating figure. It seemed that he had decided to leave the room at exactly the same time we did.

"Fang!" I called out and he turned to me.

"Oh, hey Max." He greeted me just as he always would. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, and I felt strangely relieved, like some great weight had been lifted off my shoulders. _He hasn't changed at all_, I told myself confidently.

"How's everything been?" I asked.

"Good." What was with him and his one worded replies.

"Are you going to give me any details?" I raised my eyebrows.

He didn't answer, just smirked.

"And who might this be?" A cold, drawling voice interrupted. I looked over to see that same blond haired boy sneering at me. I glared viciously back.

"Relax Max. This is Draco Malfoy. He's cool." Fang put a restraining hand on my shoulder as if he was reading my mind, and seeing the intent that I was debating internally.

"And Malfoy this is Max. She's cool, too." He assured the boy, Malfoy.

"Alright then. Come on Fang. We need to get to class." Some of his icy demeanor seemed to melt, but he still didn't look convinced though. He was still staring at me in a peculiar way that made me want to punch him, and hard.

"I'll see you later Fang." I decided I would just ignore our little unwanted guest.

"Ok, bye Max." He replied and walked off with Malfoy.

"Please tell me he's not seriously friends with Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed bitterly and glared after the boy in revulsion.

"It appears to be so. It's fine though. Fang says he alright, so I believe him." I replied, as we started walking again.

Nudge had already gone her separate way when we were first leaving. That was good in a way. We wouldn't have to hear her constant chatter. Her new classmates, however, weren't as lucky.

"He doesn't know Malfoy very well then." Ron spat the name like it was a disgusting parasite.

"Why is Malfoy so bad?" I questioned them.

"Why. . . Why is he so bad?" Ron looked at me with wide eyes, and his mouth opened to complete the look of shock and utter disbelief.

"Maybe it's because his father is a Death Eater and in league with Voldemort, and he seems to be inheriting his fathers traits rather early." Harry explained.

"I wish you wouldn't say his name like that mate. Why can't you sat 'You know who, or He who must not be named' like the rest of us." Ron spluttered.

"Because I'm not going to show fear. I'm not scared of him. Why shouldn't I be able to say his name then?" Harry shook his head in agitation and Ron shut his mouth and said no more.

"Well here we are. Your first step into the magical arts of the wizarding world. Transfiguration class." Harry gestured grandly to the wide open doors. Despite my usually calm and collected manner I was jumping up and down inside. This was going to be truly exciting.

**Authors Note: I think I'll bump the review goal up a bit and we're going with fifteen reviews this time. FIFTEEN, FIFTEEN, FIFTEEN! You need fifteen reviews for the next chapter so hop to it! Go on. You know you want, too. I said fifteen reviews so I want fifteen reviews. GO NOW! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: I GOT THE FIFTH MAX BOOK!!!!!! I was sooooo excited when I saw it at the book store. It hadn't been there before, but now it is, so I was like 'YAY now I need to get it!' So I finished it in a couple hours. Let's see. I got it around three, three thirty and I finished it about roughly eight o' clock, so yeah. I finished it in about five hours, so yay me. I'm very happy now. So much happened in that book that I got excited about. That was definitely the best book, so feel free to PM me. I so need someone to discuss it with, since no one else I know has read the books. Anyways, you guys got fourteen reviews, so I'm going to go ahead and give the chapter to you since you were so close. It doesn't look like I'll be getting any more reviews for this chapter anyways, so here it is. **

**Dedication: Since I have no specific person this will be for everyone who reviewed the last chapter!**

**Chapter -:10:-**

**This is One of Those Kinds of Weird, Yet Fascinating Times, When All You Can do is Stare at Things in Shock and Wonder**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Good morning class." Professor McGonagall greeted us all, once every one had taken a seat.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall." We all answered back mechanically.

"This year, we'll start of with some basic transformations, so everybody grab your wands and turn the tea cup in front of you into a live, perfectly formed mouse." Professor McGonagall said briskly and excited and slightly agitated murmurs ran through the room.

"Get to work children! This is no longer Summer break. You're back at school now, so I suggest you all get busy working." Professor McGonagall snapped and the talking stopped abruptly.

"Watch this." Hermione murmured under her breath to Iggy and I.

"I can't watch anything." Iggy snapped at her and she looked up at him, hurt clearly visible in her eyes.

"I didn't mean-" She started.

"I don't care what you meant!" He cut her off and then turn away from her. His back facing us.

"Oh dear." She bit her lip and if I wasn't mistaken, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't worry about it Hermione," I assured he quietly and then said in a much louder voice, enough for Iggy to hear clearly. "He's just a drama queen. He's making a big deal out of nothing as usual."

Iggy stiffened a little and said, "Shut up, Max."

Hermione continued to stare at Iggy.

"So. . . aren't you going to turn that thing into a mouse or what?" I asked her, trying to get her mind off of Iggy.

For the second time that day I wondered what was up with him. He usually wasn't this sensitive about his disability, but for some reason he got really PO'd whenever Hermione said something that clearly offended him from the way he reacted every time. It just wasn't like him to take her remarks so personally. I knew that he knew she wasn't trying to hurt his feelings in any way, but he still blew up on her every time. I would have to have a nice chat with him sometime in the near future about his behavior, and I was betting it wouldn't be a pleasant one.

"Oh. . . right. Well just watch carefully." Hermione shook her head a little, like she had to clear it, then she turned back to face the tea cup.

She stared at the cup intently for a moment, like she was memorizing the light, whimsical design on the outer edge. Then suddenly she sat up straight and tall. With a flick of her wrist, and her wand pointed straight at the cup she muttered some words. With a flash and a bright crackle of light the cup began to morph and transform right before my eyes.

It sprouted legs and it started to turn a dull shade of gray. Then a tail grew from one end and a head peeked out on the other. I blinked once and then there was no trace of a cup left. All I could see was a tiny, cowering mouse in it's place. It took one look up at Hermione and I and scampered off down the table.

"No you don't!' Hermione said softly and picked the flailing mouse up carefully, before it could reach the end of the table. She held it in her hands and petted it softly.

"How did you do it already!?" Ron groaned when he saw Hermione holding the perfectly formed, as Professor McGonagall would put it, mouse.

"Oh please Ron. We've been doing something as simple as this for four years. How come you haven't got the hang of it yet? I mean look at that poor creature. What did you do wrong this time?" Hermione looked disdainfully, yet her glance was full of pity, at the little lumbering tea cup that had four legs growing out of the bottom, a tail, and a nose.

"How come I haven't got the hang of it yet? Maybe because I'm not a bloody genius, and I didn't do anything wrong. I said the spell perfectly. Everything should have turned out ok. . . but it didn't." He insisted.

"Well obviously." I snickered and he glared at me a little, but it didn't have the effect he had planned on, because at the same time he turned a bright shade of red that matched his hair exactly.

"Were you thinking about what the finished mouse would look like? Or were you imagining what it would look like as half and half?" Hermione interrupted our little staring contest, which I would have won anyways.

"How did you know what I was thinking of?" He asked in amazement.

"Oh, Ron. You have to picture what you want it to look like in your mind. Why can't you get that through your thick head?" Hermione laughed and Ron blushed again.

"Really Ron. This stuff isn't that hard. We did this kind of stuff in our first year. It's not any different _now_, then it was then. " Harry laughed right along with Hermione.

"Well I'd like to see you do it then mate. Might now be so full of yourself then, now would you?" Ron hurriedly tried to change the subject from his utter lack of magical skill.

"Well alright then, but if I turn this cup into a perfect mouse, you have to. . . . you have to eat twenty vomit flavored beans." Harry challenged him.

After he stated his bet Iggy and I were left wondering what in the name of all that is weird, even by mutant bird kid standards, was a vomit flavored bean? From the look of utter disgust on Ron and Hermione's faces, I was guessing it wasn't something very appetizing.

"Do you take the bet?" Harry eyed Ron and then continued to say, "Or are you to scared?"

"I'm not scared," Ron scoffed.

"Then do you take the bet?" Harry repeated.

"Of course I do," Ron replied rather pompously.

"Then prepare yourself to eat some Bertie Bott's every flavored beans. Vomit flavored that is." Harry stuck out his hand and Ron shook it.

"You sound a little confident. What makes you so sure you're going to win?" Ron inquired, but his eyes didn't hold much hope. Harry just shook his head and smiled wistfully. I smiled a little, too. Some how, I knew Harry was going to win. It was just this powerful feeling that rushed over me. It was like I knew exactly what was going to happen. I could see it all. It was like a vision almost.

Then he turned to the tea cup in front of him and with a flick of his wrist and the same words Hermione had said a perfect mouse appeard. It was the same as before. I blinked once and then it was there with a 'poof', just the same as any regular, normal, every day mouse right down from its cute little whiskers to its long, thin tail.

"Oh bloody hell." Ron swore and Harry smiled in triumph.

"Looks like you'll be having a date with twenty vomit flavored beans tonight. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time." Every one in our little group was laughing now.

"Wonderful job Mr. Potter. Excellent as always Ms. Granger. I cannot say the same for you, however, Mr. Weasley. Keep working on it." Professor McGonagall appeared out of no where.

Well no where wasn't actually the word. It was more like a cat had been stalking down the aisle way and then suddenly that said cat had magically turned into Professor McGonagall. _Way_ cool in my opinion.

"And I would also like to formally greet some of the new students. As you know I am Professor McGonagall. I am also Gryffindor head of house, so if there is anything you need housing wise feel free to come to me for any questions, since I'm sure you must have many. I'd also like to be one of the first teachers here to welcome you to Hogwarts." She smiled good naturedly at Iggy and I, even though I knew she knew he wouldn't see it.

"Thank you." I replied and smiled back.

"Do you have any notions of when you will be receiving your wands and other school supplies?" She asked.

"Not at this moment, no." I answered.

"Well then I hope you get them soon. I won't lie, you have a whole lot of hard work to do. You'll have to catch up on four years worth of learning in only one." She made a tsk, tsk noise.

"Yeah, well, we learn fast. Isn't that right Ig?"

"You betcha." He smiled in the general direction Professor McGonagall was standing. Almost directly at her actually. Once again I was amazed at the boys accuracy. Who knew someone could be so good at being blind?

"Good, good." With one last smile Professor McGonagall moved on.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I was pressed in a tight mass of moving bodies. All striving to get to the same location. Destination, dining hall. Mission, stop stomach's obsessive growling by suppressing my hunger and absolutely dowsing it with delicious food.

You think being so close to so many people would start to freak me out wouldn't you? But I wasn't, which surprised even myself. It was just so. . . so open and light here, even in the hallways. The ceiling was just so high and there was just so much room up there that you hardly noticed how packed it was on the ground. Besides I didn't belong on the floor like every one else. I belonged in the air, flying free as a bird. Note the striking similarity to my life. . . or the wings that were now aching to stretch out on my back.

"Fang!" I called out, as soon as I saw the familiar head bobbing a little higher then the rest of the crowd.

"Max." He said in acknowledgement.

"How was your first day?" I breathed a sigh when he came over to stand beside me.

"Good." He answered simply.

"Good? Is that all you can come up with?" I raised an eyebrow.

To my extreme frustration all he did was shrug.

"Come on Fang. Let's go and get a good seat." I peered over Fang's shoulder to see Malfoy scowling behind him. Why did he always have to butt in on our conversations only just after they started? It better not become a habit of his.

"Oh, ok. I'll see you around Max." He turned to follow the swiftly retreating Malfoy.

"Yeah, see you," I said softly and he turned back to look at me peculiarly. He looked me straight in the eyes for a minute and then turned to walk away again.

Suddenly I had the aching feeling inside that it wouldn't be the last time I saw him walking away from me, and I didn't like it. No I didn't like it one bit.

**Authors Note: Yeah, yeah. I know it was kind of boring. It was mostly a filler. Nothing major happened in it. . . or did it? Mhmm, now would be the time to try out my new evil cackle, lol. FIFTEEN REVIEWS AGAIN! FIFTEEN! You know what to do now, so go on and do it. I'm not going to wait forever.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors Note: OMG! I'm in love! In love with another fictional character that is. . . I have serious dating issues. . . Anyways. He's totally from the House of Night books. . . too bad he's gay in there. More acurately I'm in love with the guy who's in the picture of him on the House of Night official website, so I guess he's not really a fictional character. I swear to God he's freaking hot! Enough of that though. You don't care about that kind of stuff, you just want the chapter right? Well fine then. Here it is. . . . . . . *sigh* I don't ever know his name. . . Ok, jeesh, here's the next chapter. Talk about overreaction, my goodness. You don't have to run at me with a knife screaming out a overly dramatic war cry. **_**Gosh**_**, somebody watches too much television.**

**Dedication:**

**Chapter -:Eleven:- **

**Who Would Have Thought Our Arrival Would Fall on Such a Momentous Time?**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Attention Students! May I please have your attention?" Professor Dumbledore called out over the raucous uproar all the students were making as every conversation in the room mixed and blended into one booming collection of chatter.

Just as I'd witnessed before the whole room came to a stand still, each wizard and witch in training staring with complete attention to the man at the head of the room, with his now deep blue robes, slightly off center nose, and spectacles sitting promptly on the bridge of that said crooked nose.

"Thank you. Now, my good students, I have a rather exciting announcement to make." Dumbledore paused a little to let his words sink in. I felt excitement and anticipation crawling on my skin, expanding until my whole body was on edge.

"This year, a momentous event shall occur. Some of you may have heard of it before, and to others the news shall be quite new. This is the year that Hogwarts has the greatest honor in holding a very sacred event inside our very own school. This is the year that two of our neighboring schools will flock," I couldn't help but frown a little at his poor choice of words. "towards us, where we will open our arms graciously and welcome them to our home with pride as the annual Triwizard Tournament commences down upon us, once again!" Dumbledore finished and there was loud applause and whooping shouts of joy and people's faces were layered with huge smiles as they clapped as hard as they, while others, including myself and my flock, looked at each other, utterly dumbfounded.

What was the Triwizard Tournament anyways?

I guess we weren't the only ones wondering the same thing, because the people that weren't clapping and shouting in glee were having whispered conversations with each other. It actually made me feel pretty good that we weren't the only people who had no freaking idea what was going on.

"For those of you that have never heard of the Triwizard Tournament before it is an event that used to take place many years ago. The death toll for the tournament was much too high though, so the Ministry of Magic banned the tournament from taking place. This year, however, I along with the other headmasters and headmistresses, and some Ministry officials, have decided to bring it back, but with some precautions.

"No one will die in this tournament again. All teachers will make sure of that. It will be grueling work though. Hard and difficult. You have to be able to go about things in a mental and physical fashion. You have to be smart about things.

"The Triwizard Tournament is where three wizarding schools come together to compete for the ultimate prize. The coveted Triwizard cup and eternal glory. That's what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament, but to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks **(A/N: Some of that was Dumbledore's exact words people. I googled Triwizard Tournament and I clicked on a website and it had a quote from him, so I was like 'Yeah!' because I didn't know exactly what to put and that seemed perfect)**."

Even after he informed everyone that the competition would be very dangerous they were still clapping and yelling in excitement. I was so pumped up that even I felt the need to join in with the cheering. Hello, I mean, when you say something is dangerous you're usually trying to warn people, right? Yeah, well, when you say dangerous to me, I say bring it on.

I'm not some defenseless little sissy who can't take care of herself. I could easily take on every student at this school and would beat the crap outta every one of them. I hadn't fought Flyboys and Erasers for so long just to learn nothing. Nope. I was street smart, that was for sure. Physically and Mentally. I could win this thing easy.

I kept telling myself how great I was, and how awesome it was going to be when I won. Eternal glory. That sounded nice, and hey, let's face it. I mean honestly, it's about time someone started recognizing my talent and giving me props for all I had done for my family and I. I was even supposed to save the world. I mean, after all, I had defeated the Director. I knew by know that I could do anything I set my mind, too.

I scanned the crowd at the other side of the room until I spotted Fang. Our eyes met and he had that knowing look in his eyes. I could see exactly what he wanted to tell me without him actually saying it. It was like it was written in plain black and white right in his dark eyes. I could hear him saying "Let me guess. You're going to go all out on this and win aren't you?"

I nodded and one said of his mouth quirked up and stayed there for a few seconds. My heart thumped almost inaudibly at the sight. I hadn't seem him smile in so long. I hadn't realized how much I missed having him by my side all the time until that moment. We hadn't even been here for two days and already there was a subtle, yet recognizable ache in my heart, and the only way that small pain would subside is Fang.

I smiled brightly back at him and this look came into his eyes. A look I had never thought I would ever see Fang having. He was Mister Emotionless. But still, I couldn't help but think that the fleeting glimpse I had had of that one emotion that I never knew Fang could withhold, had been there. How in the world could I mistake a look of such admiration, of such care, of such. . . love. It was undeniable.

What if Fang did love me?

No, that was impossible. He didn't love me. No way.

_He has kissed you though. Multiple times. He's made it very clear how he feels_, I reminded myself.

Oh please. I was taking an instance of something that I wasn't even sure had existed and twisted and edited it into something utterly impossible.

We were still staring at each other. Communicating with our eyes when Fang suddenly looked away. Back to his own table. Turning his full attention to the boy with silvery blond hair that was talking to him rather excitedly. With a bunch of arm flailing and head tossing.

How dare he ruin my moment. _Our_ moment. . . again.

How dare Fang _let_ him ruin our moment for the third time. It was like a punch to the stomach.

"I'd also like to say before we progress, that due to the extreme danger levels of this tournament, everyone here at Hogwarts, the other two schools, and the Ministry of Magic have decided that it is only reasonable to set an age limit for the contest. No one under the age of seventeen may enter the contest." Dumbledore said to my utter dismay. I noticed that I wasn't the only one upset about this change in rules.

I groaned in anger and turned to look at the Weasley twins, Fred and George, who were booing rather loudly.

"It's not fair!" One of them cried, and I have no idea which was one.

"Oh come on." I complained loudly.

"We should be allowed to enter!" The other twin shouted.

I saw many more people shouting out in anger. Noting for the first time the abrupt change in the atmosphere. It had gone from happy and exciting, to angry in a matter of seconds.

"Now, now children. Please settle down. Now keep in mind that we are only taking these precautions because we care about you and have decided to establish this rule only because we worry about your safety.

'So with that, I was like to welcome our guests for the year." Dumbledore gestured grandly at the great doors the led out to the rest of the school.

The wooden doors were flung open to reveal a bunch of girls in light blue uniforms standing in the hall. Accompanying them was a rather tall woman.

"I would like to introduce the very lovely ladies from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress, Madam Olympe Maxime."

Everyone clapped as the girls filed in and let me tell you, they sure knew how to make a grand entrance. There was much sweeping of the arms and lots of twirling and whirling about. Very girly. I would never be caught dead doing that.

"Last but not least is the ever talented Durmstrang Institute along with their Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff!"

In came a bunch of males wearing heavy furs and blood red clothes. They must live somewhere cold because they were all very heavily dressed. Their entrance was rather dramatic also. Although there was a slight decrease in the whole twirling and whirling thing. It was pretty impressive to say the least. At the end of the line the man I presumed to be the Headmaster came in and along side him was a very big looking guy. When they entered there was much whispering and excited squealing.

"Oh. My. God." Ron muttered.

"Who is that, and why is everybody so excited about him?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Who is that? Well that's only one of the best Quidditch seekers ever. Viktor Krum, my God. I wonder if I can get his autograph. . ." Ron mused, staring awestruck after the bulky boy.

Once again I was left wondering what Quidditch was.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The rest of that night had flown by in a blur. Dumbledore brought out this great big thing he called the Goblet of Fire. It was beautiful really. All crystallized and blue. He explained how if you wanted to enter you had to write your name on a slip of paper and drop it in the top and blah, blah, blah and all that good stuff.

"I'm so tired," Hermione yawned and collapsed into her bed.

"Mhm, me, too." I replied.

"He hates me. Doesn't he?" Hermione said after a few minutes of silence.

"Who?" I inquired.

"Iggy. He hates me." Hermione seemed really upset.

"He doesn't hate you." I assured her.

"Oh yes he does. He most surely does. How would you explain the way he always ignores me when I talk and then when he does say something to me it's usually about his eyesight. He always gets really mad whenever I say something wrong. He totally hates me." Hermione groaned.

"He doesn't hate you. Trust me. I know Iggy and as much as I wonder what is going on with him, I can honestly say that he doesn't hate you. I'll talk to him sometime. I need to ask him what his problem is anyways." I promised her.

"Thanks Max," Hermione turned to smile at me.

"No problem."

"You're a really good friend. Did you know that?" Hermione asked.

"Thanks." I felt a blush creep up my face and I buried my head in my pillow, staying there until sleep over came me once more.

**Authors Note: Tell me in you think I should have explained the Goblet of Fire more. I guess I kind of figured everyone had already read the Harry Potter books, but that probably isn't true. I just didn't know how to describe it except for the way I thought of it when I was reading about it and when I saw it in the movie.**

**Anyways, I'm going to take the reviews down a notch. You only have to get twelve reviews this time, since you didn't do to well on the last chapter. Only ten reviews there. TWELVE, TWELVE, TWELVE!!!! Remember that!!! Now go review. I said NOW!!! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Authors Note: Happy belated Easter everybody! I was going to post this as an Easter gift, but things got pretty hectic. I was with my dad most of the day and when I got back I couldn't get on the computer, because my stepsisters were down again and they were being very hoggish with the computer, and they don't give a crap if I have to spell check this chapter so I can post it. All they think about is themselves. Anyways, hope every bodies eating up on their candy (or, I don't know, whatever you get for other religions. . . I don't want to sound offensive, because that's not what I'm going for. . .) and getting totally jacked up, because I know I am. Of course then I have to burn off all those calories with our new Wii Fit! Once again happy belated Easter and now for the actual present, chapter twelve.**

**Dedication: To my new bestie Cole (lol, he's totally crazy, but he's hilarious), who probably doesn't know this site exists because he's not the sort of person that would even dream of looking at a book as it is. GO GROUP COLE 4 LIFE!!!!! No way will any of your members succumb to the evil, wrong doings that are central to that of the Art group (don't ask why the enemy called it that, because I have no flipping idea). Sadly, he's going to be mad at me tomorrow because he said he was going to call me and I don't know where my cell phone is, so he's going to flip out on me at school like he did Taylor C. for not answering her phone. If I die, I totally give permission for anyone to finish this story the way you want it, but that's only if I die, so beware!!!!!**

**Chapter -:Twelve:-**

**Finally, Something Completely and Utterly Awesome About This School That I Can Actually Participate in at This Moment in Time**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

**Two Days Later-**

"Good morning Harry." I greeted him, as I plopped down into one of the many cushy, high backed chairs placed in various placed around the Gryffindor common room.

I still couldn't get over how cool this place was. It was like one day you could think you have finally gotten used to everything and the next there was something entirely new for you to discover. I mean, just last night I found out that there were ghosts that roamed free around the castle. They weren't creepy at all either. Well except for the Bloody Barron maybe, but I hadn't actually seen him yet. I just heard that he was sort of scary from Nick (I still wasn't quite over the fact that Fang's fake name had been Nick and then anytime I was talking to Nick the ghost he reminded me of Fang and that made the ache in my heart start to hurt a little worse), who was Gryffindors ghost figure person, or whatever you want to call him.

Plus all the insanely cool moving, talking pictures. I remembered jumping up in surprise when one first spoke to me. I just stared at it in complete shock, until Hermione grabbed my arm and hauled me up the steps. The MOVING steps that is. I mean the staircases actually swung around to different levels of the castle. It wasn't anything like an escalator, but it was really cool all the same.

I was in an extremely good mood this morning. Something that was slightly irregular for me, but then again, all the flock that was attending the school would be, too. Dumbledore had snagged us after dinner last night and informed us that he was arranging for us to make a small field trip to Diagon Alley (whatever the heck that was) to get the school supplies we needed so that we could start classes as soon as possible.

"Yeah. . . Good morning." Harry replied in a tone that suggested he wasn't having a very good morning at all.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He mumbled and continued to stare into the fire that was leaping in the fire place. I followed his gaze and watched the flames licking there way across the fire wood. The embers glowing orange, while the ash from them was flying through the air and floating slowly down to settle at the bottom of the fireplace. Going from glowing brightly with heat, to a hard black that reminded me of Fang's eyes, while they cooled off a bit.

I shook my head a little to clear my thoughts and turned back to face Harry.

"I'm sure." I said sarcastically.

"Really," he insisted. "I'm fine." But his voice still suggested something else.

"Look at me!" I demanded and his head swung round to face mine.

For a few short seconds out eyes locked and what I saw in his surprised me. It was a look of utter loss, and buried underneath that was an aching sadness that I couldn't comprehend at all. Then as soon as I saw it he looked away again, this time out towards the window.

I noticed for the first time how nice it was outside. The sky was a light, dreamy sort of blue and there were a few thin clouds floating lazily about and then some other bigger, more puffy clouds that looked like cotton balls hanging about up there, too. The sun was shining brightly, casting a slightly golden hue over everything.

"Looks like a nice day," I commented. Trying to change the subject to a more comfortable one.

"Yeah, perfect day for Quidditch tryouts." Harry said bitterly, his eyes narrowing a bit. Obviously my meager attempt to make him feel better hadn't had the effect I had planned on.

"What is Quidditch anyways? I've heard people mention it, but I still don't know what it is." I inquired.

"Quidditch is a sport. A wizarding sport that is. It's played on flying broomsticks. There are three balls that are used to play with. The Quaffle, the Bludger, and the Golden Snitch-" Harry launched into a very detailed description of the so called sport. By the time he was done I was hooked. It honestly sounded like something I could do.

"When does the season start?" I asked excitedly.

"Right now. The Gryffindor team has there first practice today." Harry frowned visibly and hid his face from me again.

"Why are you so upset!?" I cried and threw my hands up in frustration.

"Is it because you want to be on the team, but you're not? I mean you sound like you're really into it. You know if you want to be on the team so bad, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be that hard to injure one of the players. I could break their arm or leg or something. That way they're out and you'll be in for sure." I began contemplating ways of getting Harry on the team.

"No!" He shouted. Taking me by surprise. I just sat there, blinking up at him.

"What?" I finally found my voice.

"Don't mess with anyone on the team! Besides, I'm on the team. That's the problem." He slumped back down into his seat. That's when I realized he had even stood in the first place.

"Then why are you still in here? Shouldn't you be at practice instead of sitting inside moping?

"And besides why would being on the team be a problem? It sounded like you liked Quidditch to me." I questioned him.

"I do like Quidditch. That's the problem." He slouched ever further down into his chair.

"I thought being on the team was the problem." I said.

He groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"I'm just trying to understand. If I'm being annoying just tell me and I'll leave." I began to get up out of my seat.

"No wait!" He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down.

"What?" I asked again.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being kind of rude. It's just. . . I really do like Quidditch. It's amazing really. The feeling you get when you catch the Golden Snitch. It's the best really. You see, I'm the Seeker for Gryffindor but. . ." At the he stopped. He had developed this look of longing on his face at that point.

"But," I prodded him for more details.

"But, Professor Snape banned me from playing this year. You were there when he did. You heard him say it."

I did remember now. I had forgotten all about it before, but now I recalled clearly Professor Snape telling Harry that he perhaps he should take a break from Quidditch for the year, although we all knew what he really meant.

"I'm so sorry, Harry." I said softly and patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"It doesn't much matter now. I have to go down to the Quidditch field and tell Wood that he's going to have to hold tryouts for a new Seeker. He won't be happy, but there's nothing I can do about that. I was just sitting here trying to muster up enough courage to go face him."

"I'll go with you. . . if you want. Lord knows I have enough courage for the both of us." I joked and was glad to see him smiled in return.

"Thanks."

"It's my pleasure," I replied and we made our way out the door.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"There you are Harry!" A boy who had been circling three rings that were up in the air, called down to us as he zoomed over on his, yep you guessed it, flying broomstick. Finally, people I could discuss the joys of flying with.

"Hello Wood." Harry greeted the boy as he landed in front of us.

"You're late Harry, but that's ok. Just hurry up and go get changed and then we'll really get started." Wood smiled at Harry.

"Actually Wood. I have to speak with you about that-" Harry began but Wood seemed to just see me.

"Why hello there. This is a closed practice, but I think we can make an exception for you're new friend here Harry. I'm Oliver Wood." He stuck out his hand to me.

"Max." I smiled and it took all my will power to take his hand instead of staring it down like I normally would.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Max. Well go on then Harry. We really do need to get a move on with practice." Wood turned back to Harry with hint of sternness in his voice and expression.

"I'm sorry Wood but. . . Professor Snape banned me from playing. You're just going to have to find a new Seeker." Harry said all in a rush.

"WHAT!?" Wood cried. "That's impossible! That's not fair! You can't be banned from playing. You're the best Seeker I've ever seen! He's probably only doing this because he knows we'll beat his precious Slytherin! Please, tell me this is a joke!"

"It's not a joke. I wish it was, but it's not a joke." Harry bowed his head.

"It's not your fault, Harry. We all know Snape's a shady fellow. He's out to get Gryffindor and we all know it," Wood assured him.

"Yeah I guess. The least I could do is help hold tryouts." Harry offered.

"You may not have to hold tryouts at all." I said more to myself than to them.

During there conversation I had had sudden inspiration.

"What? Harry asked at the same time Wood said, "Why not?"

"Well, I mean, by what you've told me Harry, being the Seeker sounds fun and quite a challenge, and I'm all for a good challenge. Plus, you now need a new Seeker. I was just thinking I could. . . you know. . . maybe I could. . . take your place?" I asked.

"Are you any good?" Wood questioned me.

"I don't know. I only just found out about Quidditch a little while ago, but it sounds like something I would be able to do," I said confidently.

"You don't even own a broom," Harry cut it.

"Now Harry. You of all people should know I have my ways up getting into the sky." I smiled mischievously at him.

"Oh. . . right." He was grinning from ear to ear now.

"What's going on? What do you two know that I don't?" Wood looked very suspicious now.

"Just tell me what I need to do and I'll take care of the rest."

**Authors Note: I want just ten reviews this time, because lately I haven't been getting to my mark very well so I'll lower it even more since last time. TEN, TEN, TEN!!! Don't make me repeat myself!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Authors Note: I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter. You guys reached ten, like the first night I posted it, so I hadn't even begun to think of what was going into this chapter yet, so if it's a little bad I'm sorry. I wrote it in kind of a rush, so this is the best I could do on such short notice. I got eighteen reviews last chapter though. . . well almost, since some people reviewed a bunch of times to get the number up (not that I'm complaining) and some actually reviewed multiple chapters because they had something to say about them, lol.**

**Dedication- Well it's definitely not going to be for my ex-bestie Cole, since I found out about some things he said that made me extremely angry with him and someone else (who also said some things)! This one will be for. . . my **_**real **_**friend Taylor C. who I'm going to do a funny skit with in the talent show, if we have a talent show this year. . . Mhm. . .**

**Chapter -:Thirteen:-**

**Flying With so Much Speed and Grace, it's no Wonder Everyone Was Watching With Eyes Wide Open And Jaws Dropped**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"I assume you know what the job of a Seeker in Quidditch is, right?" Wood still seemed unsure of letting me take Harry's place.

"Well duh."

"Ok then. I'll let the Golden Snitch go. All you have to do is get it as quickly as possible," Wood said wearily.

"Yeah, yeah, just get on with the program. I'm getting older here." I tapped my toe impatiently, one hand on my hip.

"Ok, but regardless. I still don't see how you can fly without a broom stick. What do you have, wings?" He asked incredulously. Oblivious to the fact that he had hit the truth right on the mark.

I glanced sideways at Harry and saw that he too was suppressing laughter.

"Well, I'd sincerely like to know what's so funny!" Wood demanded.

"Oh nothing." Harry smirked, reminding me of Fang, which instantly replaced my giddy mood with one of anger.

"Just let the dang Snitch go and you'll see what's so funny," I snapped and Wood peered a me bewilderingly.

"Ok, jeesh. You don't have to go crazy on me." He backed away slowly, towards a medium sized chest that was lying, sealed tightly, a little ways away.

"Just do it," I huffed.

"Max?" I felt Harry's hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine." I replied and shrugged away from his grasp.

"Are you ready?" Wood inquired.

"I was born ready." Which was true, for more than this instance.

"Here it goes," and with that he opened up his palm and a small golden ball rose up on small, twittering wings that beat as quickly as a hummingbirds.

I watched, enraptured, as it fluttered off into the sky. Without taking my eyes off of it I shrugged out of my jacket. Without glancing at them I said, "You don't know how right you were Wood." Then, I took off at a running start, gaining momentum until I was at a peak and then I sprang into the hair, whipping out my wings. I down stroked until I had gained quite a bit of altitude, all the while never losing sight of the Snitch.

I hovered for a second, just gazing after it, and then I shot of like a rocket, using my hyper speed, and snatched the Golden Snitch up in no matter of time at all. I held the quivering ball in my hand as I landed triumphantly beside an amazed looking Wood.

"Man, am I good or what." I smiled.

"That was. . ." Wood let his sentence trail off as he stared at me with wide eyes, mouth a gaping hole. I reached out with my free hand and snapped it shut.

"Amazing, wonderful, the best darn thing I've ever seen in my entire life, Max you're the fastest most beautiful Seeker there ever was. I worship you. All those would suffice quite nicely." I basked in all my glory.

"I'm sorry. Did somebody forget to tell you Max is a bit self centered and conceited?" I heard Fang's voice say behind me.

I spun around to see him wearing a bigger smirk that I could think possible.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Harry snarled and I noticed for the first time the blond haired boy standing haughtily beside Fang, flanked by Dumb and Dumber.

"I could ask you the same thing Potter. I heard Snape banned you from the team. Pity isn't it." He replied icily, sounding far from pitying.

"I only came to help!" Harry cried indignantly.

"That's enough, and besides. This is a closed practice, so I suggest you saunter on out of here and go do whatever you usually do in your spare time." Wood commanded but Malfoy only smiled maliciously.

"Yeah? If this is a closed practice, then what is_ she _doing here?" Malfoy extended his head in my direction.

"I have a name you know! It's Max, and I suggest you do as Wood says before I pound your face in." I growled menacingly and Malfoys eyes widened perceptibly and he shot a quick look at Fang who only shook his head and laughed a little.

"Well, if you must know, Max is a part of the team. She's our new Seeker." Wood beamed proudly.

"You don't say? Funny coincidence that my boy Fang here is taking my place as Seeker on the Slytherin team for this year. Possibly permanently. I just don't have time to play a sport right now, and if Fangs good enough, well, I just might insist they keep him." Malfoy seemed equally proud.

"Yeah, well from what Harry says whoever catches the Golden Snitch usually wins the game, and since I plan on ending it quick, _my_ boy Fang here won't stand a chance," I scoffed, and put noticeable emphasis on the word _my_.

"Yeah right. I've seen Fang flying. He's amazing!" Malfoy defended Fang, while Dumb and Dumber murmured their agreements.

"Is that so. Well than Fangy dear. Why don't we just have a little race. You know, to see who's faster." I suggested. He glared up at me and started to protest.

"Of course he'll do it, and he'll beat you easy at that!" Malfoy exclaimed rather pompously.

"Oh please. Fang can't beat me at anything. Isn't that right?" I smiled cockily at Fang.

"Shut up, Max." He muttered and his cheeks took on a slightly pink tinge. Was. . . was Fang blushing? Oh this was good!

"What, are you afraid Fang?" My tone was filled with unspoken challenge.

"You're not going to let her talk to you like that, are you?" Malfoy demanded.

"I was thinking about it." Fang replied dryly.

"Come on Fang. I'm tired of his confidence in you. Let's just prove once and for all who's better." I took a step towards him.

"Max-" he began.

"We don't even have to race. We can fight. That's definitely an option, although you know I'll have you pinned after awhile."

"No fighting!" Harry intercepted.

"Then a race it is. Can't we just mess around a little? You know, like old times?" I insisted.

"Fine," Fang sighed in resignation.

We lined up beside each other, me giving him a defying glance and him giving me an exsaperated sigh.

"On your mark. Get set-" Wood began.

"Yeah, yeah, just say go already!" I cried.

"GO!"

We both streaked forwards. Fang, thinking he could somehow beat me this way, launched himself into the air a lot sooner than normal. I soon followed suit.

"You know you can't beat me!" I reminded him. He just kept on flying.

I stopped a minute. Hovering in the air, letting him get a good head start. Once he was about halfway towards the middle of the field I turned and positioned myself forwards. With a laugh I shot off at two hundred miles per hour, zooming right by Fang in no time.

"Ah, sweet victory is mine!" I called as I landed with a small thump.

"Oh shut up, Max!" Fang was very red in the face when he landed beside me.

I saw the others making their way towards us, but they still had a ways to go.

"What's your problem?" I asked, confused.

"I don't have a problem, Max!" He snapped.

"Whoa, take it easy buddy." I reached out to touch his arm but he took a step away from me.

"Fang!" I said sharply but he was completely unfazed.

"Why did you have to go all out, Max? Couldn't you have slowed down just a little? Are you trying to make me look stupid? Would it have hurt your ego so much to just let me win this one time?" Fang was really angry now.

"Come on Fang. I know you don't have time for me and the Flock now a days. Your to busy with your new friends to care about us anymore, but you don't have to be such a sore loser!" I yelled.

"What are you talking?" He seemed surprised.

"Like you don't know," I said quietly.

"Max." He reached out to me, but this time I was the one to pull away.

"And besides, the Fang I know wouldn't care one bit about losing something as stupid as a silly race to me. And that's the problem, can't you see? You're not Fang anymore. You're worried about impressing people, and that's just not you. You've changed Fang, and I don't think it's for the better." I finally confronted him.

"Max, please," He looked at me pleadingly.

"Please what?" My words came out hostile.

"Just let me explain!" He insisted.

"There's nothing to explain," I replied and turned sharply on my heel, leaving him behind me as I took off into the air, soaring high about the field, until I was winding my way through the castles many spires and towers.

I felt something wet cascade down my cheek, leaving a trail across my face. I glanced up to see if it was raining, but the sky was still a light blue and the clouds hanging about it were puffy and white as cotton balls. . . or marshmallows maybe. I like mashmallows.

I reached a hand up to touch the drops that were still falling and realized the moisture was coming from my eyes.

_I was crying._

**Authors Note: I'm going all the way up to fifteen for a goal this chapter. FIFTEEN, FIFTEEN, FIFTEEN!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**Authors Note: Yeah, so this is really close to when you guys reached fifteen reviews, so yay me!!! I finally posted in good time. Also, I had this really weird dream where this was this little, fat, fairy person thing, and she was really nice and then she turned really creepy and mean and I picked her up and threw her over a railing because she scared me so much. It was very freakish.**

**Dedication: To all my new friends!!! I made up with Cole and D too, so we're all good. Lol, and Taylor W., BOOKLE PUNCH!!!! Yeah (lol, I accidentally hit the spine of my book on her knuckle so she hit her book against mine, so instead of knuckle punch it's bookle punch, where you hit the spines of the books against each other. Innovative, isn't it?)!**

**Chapter -:Fourteen:-**

**When Did my Life Get so Complicated? Scratch That. When Has my Life **_**Never**_** Been Complicated?**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Max, there you are!" Angel exclaimed as she pounced on me as I strolled into the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey Angel." I greeted her.

"Where have you been?" She demanded, her little, innocent, angelic face turning abruptly serious.

"I was out flying," I replied.

"Oh. Fang was looking for you. He seemed really upset. Did something happen?" Angel inquired.

_Of course something happened. Something big_, I thought in my head without thinking about the consequences.

"What happened!" Angel gasped and her eyes widened.

"Nothing, nothing," I said quickly, putting up a barrier in my mind so she couldn't look further into it and see the incident that had occurred.

"Max," she wined.

"It's nothing you need to worry about sweetie." I ruffled her hair a bit and she smiled blindingly up at me.

"Oh good, you're back! We were just heading down to watch Fred and George make fools of themselves." Hermione rushed over to were I was still standing in the door way.

"Make fools of themselves? By doing what?" I asked quizzically.

"You'll see, and besides, it wouldn't be that hard for them, knowing how they usually act." Hermione laughed.

"True," I agreed.

"Now come one. I want to get a good seat for this." Hermione grabbed my arm and hauled me back out the door.

"Fine, fine," I grumbled a little as we raced through the never ending maze of hallways and corridors that probably led to any amount of trap doors and magically hidden rooms. My more daring side came out a little as I imagined what it would be like to go exploring through this castle. There was probably no end to the amazing discoveries just waiting to be made here by yours truly, Maximum Ride.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

They really had made fools of themselves.

Hermione tried to warn them. She told them their little plan wasn't going to work, but did they listen? Nope.

They ended up being thrown out of the age line made by Professor Dumbledore and coming back up with long white hair and beards. It was safe to say I was cracking up. Their little stunt even made me forget about the incident with Fang earlier. I even found myself smiling pleasantly to myself as I began to head back to the common room before I would have to come back down for dinner in a few hours since I had missed lunch entirely. Something that surprised me since my stomach was now groaning and moaning with hunger. How could I have missed that? Maybe I was just buried too deep in my thoughts to notice before hand.

Let's just say my hunger pains had been put into striking clarity now.

So, just like any other moments in my life it had to be ruined, of course. My happiness came at a cost. It never lasted long.

"Max!" A hand roughly grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into a nearby broom closet.

"What the-!" I cried as the door slammed shut behind me.

"Please, just let me talk to you!" Fang pleaded with his eyes. His dark, mysterious, beautiful eyes.

"What do you want Fang?" I folded my arms in front of my and stared up at him contemptuously.

"Loosen up Max." Fang commanded ripping my arms away from my torso and holding them in his hands, standing very, very close to me. Maybe a little too close in some peoples perspective.

"What do you want Fang?" I repeated, a little slower than before, like I was talking to mental patient.

"I want you to forgive me." He stated simply and clearly.

I blinked at him for a few seconds. Surprised my his blatant honesty, but then I pulled myself together.

"Well, I'm afraid that's not as easy as it looks."

"Yes it is. All you have to do is say I forgive you and then you're done."

"Not true. You have to mean it, too. Otherwise, it'd just be a lie," I replied curtly.

"And since when have you been worried about whether or not you're being truthful?" He smirked at me and my heart gave a quick flutter.

"Look, if all you're going to do is talk about how untruthful I've always been then I've got news for you. I don't care!" I shouted in his face and he took a half a step back in surprise.

"You're right. I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Aren't I always?"

"Not a chance," and the very smirk that had marred his face before returned in full focus.

"If you have something to say, say it." I snarled at him.

"Ok, Max. Look, I know I've been acting like a real jerk lately, and I'm sorry. It's just that. . . Well, Draco was the first guy I met in my house, and he's got this kind of commanding aura about him. He practically rules Slytherin because of his father. I just wanted to prove that I could be just as commanding as him, just as popular." Fang bent his head when he was done speaking, as if looking at me would physically pain him.

"That's a load of crap, Fang, and you know it!" I cried after a few moments of deep breathing. Trying to keep my anger in check was harder then I though it would be.

"What?" His head snapped up now. His dark eyes roaming over my face, hunting for something that I knew he wouldn't find.

"You heard me. Now I don't know what that Draco Malfoys done to you, but I don't like it one bit, so come find me when you're ready to admit that you've changed, Fang. Or else I don't want to listen to you spout lie after lie after lie. I won't be able to take that Fang, trust me. You're supposed to be my best friend. My right hand man, but you can't be that when I hardly ever see you! You said everything would be all right, but nothing is!" I wanted to break down into sobs right then and there, but I remained calm. I would not let him get to me like this. No, not ever.

"Max, please."

"Stop it, just stop it already!" I shoved him roughly and he stumbled back a step. That was all that was allowed in this tight space.

Suddenly, I started feeling the first signs of claustrophobia creeping into my system.

"Good bye." I turned to leave but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him, twisting my body around so that I was smashed up against his chest.

"Max," he whispered my name into my ear and it sent a shock wave up my spine. I shivered, but not because I was cold.

"What are you doing!"

"This."

Before my brain could function what he was doing his mouth crashed against mine, smothering all my protests. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I found that my arms had unconsciously moved up to wrap around his neck, my fingers twisting in his midnight black hair.

We stayed like that for who knows how long until I started getting very light headed and realized it was probably from lack of air. I pulled back and sucked in as much oxygen as possible.

"Max." He whispered my name once again and it gave me so much delight, I could hardly contain myself.

He was just leaning down to press his lips to mine again when reality finally set in. With one blinding flash of motion I wriggled out of his embrace and flung the door to the broom closet open. He tried to grab for me, but I leaped lightly out of his reach. Once I was out in the fading light of the sunset I slammed the door shut behind me, trapping Fang inside and I took off running down the corridor.

I was nearing the dining hall when I heard footsteps behind me. At first I ignored them, thinking it was only some stray student, but when the person picked up their pace and started to advance on me I began to grow increasingly suspicious.

Out of no where a hand shot out and grabbed my arm. Using the momentum of the assault I swung to face who ever it was, my other fist hurtling towards where I suspected their face would be.

With a satisfying crunch my hand connected with a boys jaw and sent his head flinging backwards.

"OW!" He let go of my arm and raised it to his face instead, all the while moaning in pain.

"What was that for!?" He exclaimed as he peeked out from behind his hand.

"You grabbed my arm from behind! What was I supposed to do?"

"Turn to see who it was before you started throwing punches!" He replied indignantly.

"Well what if you were and Eraser or a Flyboy or something? You could of been from the School!. . . . Are you?" I asked after a pause.

"From where?" He seemed genuinely confused and I decided that he wasn't from the School, but another Hogwarts student like I was now.

"Never mind. . . and I'm sorry. . . You know. . . about your jaw." I stuttered as I finally saw his face.

"Well it wasn't the exact greeting I had in mind, but you're talking to me, so that's a start." He grinned at me and I found myself smiling back.

"I'm Maximum Ride, but you can call me Max." I surprised myself by sticking out my hand.

"Cedric Diggory." He took my outstretched palm in his, holding on a little longer than necessary.

"Max!" Fang totally interrupted the moment I was having.

"What did I tell you Fang!?" I narrowed my eyes in anger.

"Come on, Max. Don't try to pretend something isn't there. I told you on that boat when you said there isn't an us. There will _always _be an us." Fang eyed Cedric critically as he spoke.

"I'm sorry. Is this your boyfriend?" Cedric looked a little depressed.

"Absolutely not That's completely ridiculous.. This is Fang. He used to be my best friend, but he's got other more important priorities now." I replied icily.

All Fang did was roll his eyes a little, while Cedric seemed very uplifted indeed.

"Do you want to head over to the dining hall. It's almost time for dinner." Cedric asked me, totally ignoring Fang's presence.

"I'd love, too. You wouldn't believe how totally starved I am right now.

He laughed and smiled crookedly at me, and I decided right then and there that I loved that laugh and crooked smile.

**Authors Note: Fifteen again. Fifteen again. Fifteen again. FIFTEEN, FIFTEEN, FIFTEEN!!! Now go review.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Authors Note: Drama, drama, drama. No matter how much people hate it, it's always there, hovering just around the corner, shut up tight in a little black box, just waiting to be unhinged. I hate it too, and yet it's the only fun thing to do. Not that I start drama. No, I just like watching other peoples and helping my friend Lexi get herself out of it, since she's always butting in and playing messenger then getting sick of it and wanting out. Lol. You don't care about this stuff though, do you (perfect example of a rhetorical question)? You just want the chapter. Well here it is. Enjoy!**

**Dedication: To no one in particular today. The inventor of the push pin, maybe? Gotta love 'em.**

**Chapter -:Fifteen:-**

**This Was Supposed to be Fun! How Did it End up in Complete Disaster?**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"OMG, I am so, so excited! Are you excited? I know I am. This place is just, like, so majorly cool, and now we might be able to do magic, which would be totally fantastic and awesome, and, and just so darn cool! I mean, have you seen some of the things the students can do? Plus the teachers! Today, in class, this one boy got in trouble, because he turned-" Nudge was rambling on and on.

"And, like, OMG! My heads about to explode. Shut up, Nudge!" I exclaimed.

"Sorry," she apologized and made a big show about zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

"I wonder if there is a spell that can actually do that, because it could come in very handy sometimes," I mused.

"Max!" Nudge cried and I glared pointedly at her.

"Ok, ok." She hung her head and stayed silent. I wonder how long that's going to last?

"Are you ready, children?" Dumbledore appeared before us.

"What? Oh, yeah, we're ready." I answered.

"Good. Now, I hope you don't mind, but some other students are coming along with us." Dumbledore informed me.

"Why?" I asked cautiously.

"No big reason really. Their parents just contacted me and said they wished for them to gather a few things at Diagon Alley. I fail to see a problem with that. . ." Dumbledore replied.

"Oh, no, it's ok. That's not a problem at all." I smiled.

"Good, good. Now we'll just head on up to my office where they should be waiting and then we'll head on over to Diagon Alley." He gestured for us to follow, which we graciously obliged.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I couldn't help the grin that stretched across my face when I saw one of the people that would be going with us. I also couldn't help the way it faded instantly when I saw Fang approach a boy with silver blond hair.

Fang looked back at me over his shoulder like he could sense I was looking at him. I glared in disapproval. He sighed and came to stand by me.

"Ok Max. You win. I promise I'll hang out less with him and more with you. Since I know that's what you really want. You don't care about the rest of the flock. You want me, admit it." He smirked and I playfully pushed his shoulder which rewarded me with a shove from him.

"Don't even start with me Fang!" I warned him and he raised his arms palms facing me to show that he surrendered.

"Hey, Max." Someone greeted me from behind my back.

"Oh, hi, Cedric." I put on my most dazzling smile and it worked too, because he definitely looked dazzled, but what can I say? I have that effect on people some times. You can't blame me for being wonderfully good looking.

"I didn't know you were coming." He smiled back.

"We actually have to go and get our school supplies. All that good stuff." I replied.

"Cool."

We stood there talking until Dumbledore announced that it was time to go.

All the non-flock members went over to Dumbledore, took a pinch of some kind of sand stuff, and the first person, a girl I didn't know, threw it into the fire. Then the most amazing thing happened. The flames turned emerald and she, get this, stepped right into them. Without getting burnt I might add. Then she said, in a high, clear voice "Diagon Alley!" and she vanished instantly.

"Well that wasn't weird at all." I muttered under my breath.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"That. Was. So. Cool! I can't believe-" Nudge exploded.

"Please, don't start Nudge, just please." I begged.

"Ok, students. You can go your on your own way as of now. All you have to remember is to, of course, be on your utmost behavior. Do not become a disgrace to the name of Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore said sternly.

We all nodded our heads and took off in different directions. After walking a little ways away I stopped to count heads.

"Nudge. . . Angel. . . Gazzy. . . Iggy. . . Where did Fang go?" I peered over Iggy's shoulder to see if I could spot him, but I couldn't see him anywhere.

"Ummm," Nudge looked down at the ground, suddenly finding her shoes very interesting.

"What?" I inquired cautiously.

"He. . . uh, he went off with that Draco kid." Iggy informed me.

"What!?" I repeated, but in a completely different tone.

"He wasn't at first, Max. He was following right behind you. . . but then Malfoy grabbed him and said something to him and Fang nodded his head and then they started for the other direction." Angel insisted.

"What did Malfoy say to him?" I asked her.

"I don't know, I couldn't hear."

"Well what was Fang thinking in his mind?" I questioned.

"He had a mind block up. I couldn't tell at that time. Before that though, he was thinking about you Max, honest."

"Ew." Gazzy made a face.

"Gross." Iggy was acting like he was choking on something.

"Aw." Nudge, meanwhile, thought it was the 'cutest darn thing' as she put it.

"Let's just get our things and get on with the program," I muttered.

"Yes!" Gazzy pumped his fist in the air.

"All right!" Iggy reached out his hand and he and Gazzy high fived.

"Oh, this is just so, so exciting! This is just going to be so much fun!" Nudge started jumping up and down, clapping her hands together excitedly, her wild mane of dark curls flying everywhere.

"I don't know why you're so excited Gazzy. We aren't getting anything today," Angel pouted.

"Oh, you're right." Gazzys face fell and it just crushed my heart.

"Oh Gazzy. It's ok. You'll be collecting your school supplies in a couple of years, too." I assured him.

"Yeah, four years!" He cried and his hands started trembling.

"It'll be ok." I pulled his shaking figure into my arms.

"It's no fair! You guys get to have all the fun, and me and Angel sit around doing nothing all day! It's. Just. Not. Fair!" He stamped his foot for emphasis and I laughed a little and ruffled his hair.

"Oh no. You're not crying too, are you Angel?" Iggy groaned.

I spun around to see Angel, her head in her hands, little shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" I reached out for her and pulled her onto my side, holding both siblings to me as they sobbed.

"I. . . I. . . I miss Total," she wailed.

I blinked in shock. Angel had complained a lot at first, but I had thought she had gotten over having to leave Total behind. She had been mad at me for a little while at first, but then she had come to her senses and realized it wasn't my fault that we had to leave Total with my mom. He had insisted that Akila accompany us, but she was just too heavy for us to carry around, so I had definitely put my foot down at that. I let him decide then. He could either come with us, but leave Akila behind, or stay with Akila and let us go our own way. In the end he had made the decision to stay behind and I wasn't one to argue, especially with a dog.

"Is everything ok here?" Cedric appeared at my side.

"Yeah. They're just a little sad is all," I laughed shakily.

"Who is this?" Iggy narrowed his eyes and glared in the general direction Cedric was standing.

"How does he-?" Cedric began.

"This is Cedric. He's a friend of mine." I cut him off. Lately Iggy had seemed a little sensitive about his eyesight and I really didn't want him to explode on Cedric at the moment. There was enough drama for me to handle already, and we hadn't even started our shopping yet.

"What kind of friend?" Iggy raised his eyebrows and grinned mischievously.

"Oh shut up, Iggy!" I let go of Gazzy and Angel, who had dried their eyes by now, and leaned over and smacked Iggy upside the head.

"Ow," he muttered and rubbed the spot where I had hit him.

"OMG! Is he, like, seriously your boyfriend? Because, that would be like, so cool! If he is though that would also be really, really bad, because I mean, what about Fang? I thought you two had finally, like, gotten together, and you know you two would be a fantabulous couple. I mean your best friends already and you might think I don't notice, but I catch you staring at each other all the time, and plus, you totally get each other. I've seen you guys communicate with each other without saying anything, so no offence to your boyfriend here, but you totally belong with Fa-" Nudge was talking in super speed mode, but I somehow caught every single word she had said.

"NUDGE! He. Is. Not. My. Boyfriend!" I blushed furiously.

"Oh. . . is Fang then?" Nudge asked.

"Far from it. In fact. I'm very angry with him at the moment, so could we just please stop talking about this. We've been standing here for quite some time and we haven't even begun shopping for the things we need so if we could get a move on, that would be wonderful!"

"Of course. We're sorry, Max." Angel apologized and I smiled down at her.

"Thank you, Angel. Now I guess we can go and get ourselves some magic sticks to wave around. You know I always say it's good to blend in.

"Yes, but you just don't always succeed, now do you?" A voice said from the shadows behind me. I recognized that voice, the haughty 'don't mess with me, I can do anything' tone that caressed each and every word he spoke. I also distinctly remembered beating that once supposedly invincible boy.

I had one word for you.

Omega.

**Authors Note: Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Cliffhanger, Cliffhanger! So, now you should definitely want the next chapter, so you know what that means! Reviews galore!!!! Bumping it up a bit. I want seventeen reviews for this chappie. SEVENTEEN, SEVENTEEN, SEVENTEEN!!! Don't worry, though. That's probably all the more I'll make my goal. It probably will never, for any other chapter, go any higher than that. **

**I guess the only actual reason I put review goals here is so it will buy me some time to write, because if I didn't have them you'd be getting chapters sporadically. Sometimes I would just completely knock of sitting down to write at all, so you might want to be thankful of these little review goals. I'm just saying.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Authors Note: Hello everybody! We have this big group of people that are friends at school, so we all have to have nicknames and Darius was trying to figure out what mine would be. Then he said I was going to be Angel, because I never did anything wrong, which frankly, isn't actually true, but whatever. So of course, I was like 'so now I'm a six year old mind reader who can shape shift, breath underwater and talk to fish?' and they were all 'huh?' because they didn't know what I was talking about. **

**Dedication: This chapter will be for Buster (Darius), Johnson (Cole), Notorious (Michael), Alexander (Garrett), Daisy Duke (Haha, Brooke), Trixie (Courtney), Mountain Dew (Taylor C), Lexi (Bling, don't ask me why), Jimmy (Tyler), Pocket (Haley), and that's all I can remember right now. . . they even made up a last name for everyone. It's Waters. So yeah, I'm Angel Waters I guess. . . needless to say we're a weird bunch, but hey, deal with it. We do. Everyday of our lives. Lol.**

**Chapter -:Sixteen:-**

**I Never Saw it Coming. Never in a Million Years Would I Have Guessed it Would Come Out Like This. Life Sure is Full of Surprises.**

**_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Omega," I growled and put every ounce of the hatred and disgust I felt for Itex and the Director who had created him into that one word.

"And so we meet again, Maximum Ride," his tone held a hint of amusement and, as he stepped from the shadows, his cocky smile proved that.

"What are you doing here? Spying for your precious Director? I defeated her, remember? I defeated you. I defeated all of Itex. Don't tell me you've up and recuperated already. You just won't give me any peace at all, will you?" I snarled and his smiled widened, which made my anger increase perceptively.

"Max, who is this?" I had forgotten all about Cedric, but his voice brought me back down to our surroundings. I felt him come up beside me and grasp my forearm. I hadn't realized until then that my fists were knotted up into balls and I was leaning forward, as if preparing to launch myself at Omega.

"This is Omega." I told him, without taking my eyes of the boy in front of me.

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"Ha, fat chance." I threw my head back and barked out a loud, high, clear laugh. This seemed to bother Omega for some reason, because his out right smirk turned into a slight frown.

"Then what?" Once again Cedric's voice pierced into my mind and reminded me that it probably wouldn't be the wisest choice to start an all out brawl in an alley. That was probably on the top of Dumbledore's 'What you shouldn't do to become a disgrace to the name of Hogwarts' list.

"He and I are, enemies, you could say. Once upon a time Angel, Nudge and I got captured by Itex and were taken to their main base in Germany where this crazy, wacko, nut shop told us about how she intended to rule the world and how she wanted to kill off anyone who wasn't important and blah, blah, blah. Anyways, the Director held this tournament sort of thing and her finest achievement, Omega here, who was supposed to be invinicible, but who, in reality, was surprisingly not, had to fight me in a battle to the death. Let's just say I figured out his weakness and ended up kicking his butt much to the Directors dismay. Then a whole bunch of other stuff happened that I can tell you about later." I gave him a brief summary of the whole ordeal with Omega.

By the end Cedric looked extremely alarmed and kept shooting futile glances at Omega and Omega looked downright depressed when I got done sharing.

"What was his weakness?" Cedric was looking at Omega, but I could tell he was speaking to me.

"Oh, that's easy, just watch." I started off for Omega, who just turned to face me squarely, with pain filled eyes.

"Maybe you shouldn't do that why he's expecting it," Cedric warned, but I ignored him.

"Oh it doesn't matter. He'll never be able to keep up." I laughed once more.

When I reached Omega I positioned myself right in front of him. He stared calmly at me as I raised my right hand, which I started waving manically in front of his face. Just as suspected his eyes automatically began to follow it, not even noticing my left hand, which was still curled into a fist, hurtling towards his face. The impact was enough to break a grown mans nose, but Omega only stumbled a step back and presumed staring straight at me.

"I see," Cedric said nervously.

"Now, I ask again, what are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you." Omega said simply.

"Well obviously. You found me. Now what do you want with me? Mhm? Going to take me back to the School, or are we going straight to the Director this time?" I questioned him.

"I'm not taking you anywhere." Still, he hardly gave me any information.

"Oh, I see, so, what? Do you have orders to, I don't know, shoot me down right on the spot? That would definitely be something new."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Max, and you know it." _What the heck?_

"What?" I found myself speaking my thoughts.

"I didn't come here on the Directors orders." Omega informed me.

"Then someone else. You're working for someone else now, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not working for anybody, but myself. I'm tired of being pushed around and chided about the fact that you beat me. You beat me because you're the better fighter, Max, and besides, I'm so sick and tired of killing things. It makes me feel like I'm a monster and that's something I honestly don't want to be." This day could not get anymore surprising. I was just so shocked, there were no words to describe it. What was Omega saying? That he didn't want to kill things? He didn't want to be a monster? That was what he had been made for though. He had obviously inherited a conscience. Something the Director hadn't planned for.

"So what are you saying?" I asked, confused.

"I don't want to be a burden, trust me I don't. Plus I would totally understand if you said no, I mean I did try to kill you once and I'm so sorry for that. I really, really am."

"I still don't know what you want."

"I was wondering, if maybe, by any chance, I don't know. Maybe I could stay with you and the flock?" He rubbed his neck sheepishly and I saw his face redden. He was obviously embarrassed to be asking such a thing.

"I. . . I don't know. How do I know if we can really trust you?" I inquired.

"You trust _me_, right Max?" Angel slipped to my side and took my hand.

"Of course I do." I replied.

"Then you can trust him, as long as you trust me."

"Ok then." I smiled down at her and then turned back to Omega.

"You can stay with us." My heart almost broke when I saw the look of utter joy cross his face.

"Thank you, Max! You have no idea how much this means to me!" He threw his arms around me and hugged me tight. After a few seconds of awkwardness, I hugged him back, too.

"Come on. We need to finish shopping and then we have to speak with Professor Dumbledore." I ushered everyone to the open mouth of the alley and we spilled out into the fading light as the evening was coming to a close.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry. We don't have enough time to stop and stare at things. We've already wasted too much time. Let's just get our things and go," I ordered and everyone did as I said.

We had collected all our things and were in the wand shop getting our personalized wands when Omega tried one to see if he could do magic. Let's just say with one flick of his wrist he made a small explosion erupt before him. Then, of course, we had to back track to buy him his supplies.

To say the least it was almost night when we got back to the place we had arranged as a meeting spot when we were done. The flock, Omega, Cedric, and I were about twenty minutes late, since we had been planning on meeting there at seven thirty and it was now seven fifty.

"You are late," Dumbledore announced simply as we all sped into the square.

"I'm sorry. Really, really sorry, we just ran into an old friend and we got to chatting." I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

"Friend!? Are you crazy, Max? You're brainwashed I know it. Snap out of it? That's Omega! You know, the one that was intent on taking your life. Last time I checked, that was _bad_!" Fang ran over to where we were all standing and shook my shoulders hard, all the while glaring at Omega who just smiled a very friendly looking smile in return.

"I'm not brainwashed, you idiot. I talked to Omega and said he was sorry for what he did, and besides, it wasn't like he had an actual choice. The Director made him do it." I brushed Fang's hands off of my shoulders.

"Because he definitely couldn't be spying for the Director right now. He totally couldn't come and kidnap you in your sleep. No, that's impossible." Fang looked at me like I was crazy.

"Angel says we can trust him and I believe her, so that's final," I concluded.

"But Max."

"No, Fang, and please don't try to pull another 'him or me' scenario, because we both know that isn't going to work for us. Any of us. Please, just this once, can't you just trust me. Is it that hard?"

"I trust you Max. You know I do."

"Then don't give Omega a hard time about this." I commanded.

"I'll try my best," he sighed. I shoved his should and he shoved me back, but we were grinning the whole time, and we knew any previous fights or angers had been resolved. We would just be best friends again. He was back to being my right hand man, and that was just the way I wanted it.

"Who is your new friend exactly?" Dumbledore interjected.

"What? Oh, this is Omega. We have bad history together, but it's all fine now. I thought, you know, maybe he could join us. At the school, I mean." I stuttered across my speech, searching for the right words to justify what I wanted to say exactly.

"Does he have any magical talent?" Dumbledore peered curiously at Omega over his half moon glasses. I realized just then how much he resembled all the fairy tale wizards that I had ever read or heard about. He wore the same kinds of robes and sometimes the hat, plus he had the long hair and beard. He was the perfect picture of what I would have thought a wizard would look like, had I not just become one, and let me tell you. I was in no way growing a beard like his. That most definitely wasn't going to happen.

"I'll say." We all burst out laughing, remembering the shocked look on Omega's and Mr. Ollivanders face when that explosion rocketed throughout the store, a fine line of sparking fire trailing after it.

"And did you collect any supplies for yourself?" Dumbledore directed his question at Omega himself.

"Yes, sir." Omega nodded.

"Good, good. Well we really should be heading back. You all have to get up for school tomorrow morning and I wouldn't want to be the cause of you being very tired in the morning from lack of sleep, so everybody just come right through here and we'll be back at Hogwarts in a jiffy." Dumbledore clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention and then we all set off to the door he had indicated.

All in all it had been a very eventful day. A good day by far. We got our very own wands and school supplies. Plus we gained a very powerful ally. There was no doubt in my mind that being friends with Omega wouldn't hurt us at all. With him with us we could accomplish so much more than we could before. I'm sure he has a lot of inside information and I was going to have to have a nice chat with him about just that. We would know so much more about Itex then we did before. No, that definitely wouldn't be a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all.

**Authors Note: You were surprised weren't you? You thought they would get into a fight, didn't you? You were wrong, weren't you? Yeah, that's what I thought. Do you think you'll still like it with Omega there??? Now you have to review and say if you will or if you really don't want him in the story. This brings us to the ever present review goal. SEVENTEEN SEVENTEEN SEVENTEEN!!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Authors Note: Hey everybody. Ok, now I'm going to post early, strictly because I'm going to be super busy this weekend and I won't be at home a lot so I might not be able to post, so I'm just going to do it now. Got it? Don't think I'm being nice. I'm not a nice person. Ask anybody. Haha, I'm kidding. I'm usually a nice person when I want to be. Although a lot of people would say I'm mean, because they don't like me sometimes. Like Tyler for instance. I say, "Not impressed" and when I say that to him he gets really mad at me for some reason, but what ever. **

**Anyways, here's the next chapter. I hope you like it.**

**BTW, a lot of people said they didn't really know how they felt about Omega being in the story, so he's staying as of now. **

**Dedication: To all my consistent reviewers. You guys are all extremely awesome!**

**Chapter -:Seventeen:-**

**This is so Cool. I Don't Know How it Happened, But I Like it.**

**________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

_The room has finally settled down and Dumbledore had opened his mouth to make another speech, when the Goblet gave another sizzle and two more pieces of paper shot out of the flames that were dancing around the inside of the cup._

_Dumbledore's face was a mask of confusion and bewilderment as he reached out and plucked the two free falling papers from the air. _

_What happened next was something I had not expected at all. _

_Dumbledore stared at what was written on the papers for what seemed like hours, but was probably, in reality, only a few seconds. When he looked up again his face held no emotion. It was entirely blank._

_In a strange monotone he called out, "There seems to be a slight change in plans."_

_Whispered words passed all through the great hall. All the students were extremely confused, and it appeared that all the teachers were also. Obviously no one had planned for this._

_"We appear to have two more champions for this years Triwizard tournament."_

_This time there were excited and calculating murmurs washing over the crowd. Most of what I caught of the conversations were people say "Who?. . . Who?" to their friends and the people seated next to them._

_"Harry Potter. . ." Dumbledore said and every person in the room, including myself, turned to stare at the stunned looking Harry._

_"And Maximum Ride."_

_It was my turn to look surprised._

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I shot straight up, gasping.

"OW!" Hermione jumped back from where she had been leaning over me, rubbing her forehead.

"Sorry," I half smiled, half grimaced.

"You should really be more careful," she chided me.

"You should really quit waking me up like that," I retorted.

"Well I wouldn't have to if you would just get up yourself," she scoffed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll just get ready and meet you at breakfast.

"Don't you dare say that and then just go back to sleep!"

"Who, me? Why I'd never." I pretended to be offended.

"I'm serious, Max."

"You look serious," I replied.

"_Max_," she complained.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Besides, now that I've fully awoken, I'm starving. I'll be down there in a jiffy."

"You better."

All I did was laugh as she disappeared out the door. It was so much fun messing with Hermione. She just got so frazzled and worked up. It was hilarious.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Most people would be excited right now. A lot of people were, in fact, excited. I, on the other hand, was too busy sulking to feel any sort of excitement.

Professor Dumbledore was about to announce who would be participating in the Triwizard Tournament and the whole room was strung taught with nervous anticipation. I was just angry that I was much to young to enter the tournament in the first place. I probably had more experience then all of these kids here put together. I was the great and all powerful Maximum Ride, yet I was banned from entering a school tournament. I could care less how high the death toll was for the games. I wasn't planning on dieing any time soon, so I definitely wouldn't go down easy.

"Sorry I'm late. Are they done yet, or have they started at all?" Omega rushed over to were I was seated on one of the benches and plopped down beside me, totally not out of breath, like most people, even I, would be.

When we arrived later last night Omega had spent the night with Angel and the Gasman in their little house on campus. This morning Omega had been placed under the sorting hat while I watched anxiously, hoping desperately that he would be placed in Gryffindor and not some other house.

Someone must have heard my silent prayers, because the next moment the hat shouted out Gryffindor and Omega was making his way towards my cheering figure.

I had been in a good mood then, but now, now I was about fed up with all the excited whispered conversations. People could be so annoying sometimes.

"Nope. They haven't announced the stinking participants yet. . . and I don't see why you care anyways. It's not like this is going to be any fun for us," I muttered angrily, shoving the last of my food around my plate.

"Don't be like that, Max. You know once things start up you'll be just as hyped as everybody else." He nudged my shoulder and I looked up at him. He smiled a tender, loving smile at me and I noticed for the first time how cute he really was. His pale brown hair looked windswept and was splayed all around his head, a few stray locks framed his face and fell over his eyes. His beautiful, clear, silver blue eyes. I reached up impulsively and swept away the hair that was covering those eyes and he looked down at me in surprise. That was when I realized that he had, in fact, grown taller than me. I used to be a good few inches taller than him, but he had shot up in the amount of time we had been apart and now he was maybe an inch taller than me.

"Sorry," I muttered and pulled my hand back to my side like he had shocked me.

"It's ok." He turned away from me to look up at the front of the room where the teachers all sat expectantly.

"Attention students!" Dumbledore called over the crowd and everything automatically quieted down and stilled instantly. It always amazed me how he could do that. Once he spoke it was like the whole room was captivated by his presence. They hung on to his every last word.

"Now we have reached the time where the Goblet of Fire will choose a name from each school. Then we will have our participants for this years Triwizard Tournament!" At this every single person in that room broke out into excited shouts and exclamations, while others twittered away ecstatically to the people around them. It was like Dumbledore's words had unleashed a wild fire and it was burning up every one in the room.

Once again the big, honking goblet was brought forth.

All eyes were turned towards the front. Even, to my complete dismay, mine. I just couldn't help but be intrigued by the whole set up. I felt myself growing more agitated and anxious by the second. Every one was staring intently at the Goblet of Fire, but nothing was happening yet. It was all so frustrating!

Then suddenly there was a sizzling sound and out of the Goblet shot a piece of lacy looking paper that started swaying lightly down towards Dumbledore's outstretched palm.

As it fell it opened up more, like a parachute, so it ended up looking like a doily type thing.

Dumbledore glanced at it briefly and then he looked up once more and in a booming voice announced, "Fleur Delacour."

There was a light, twittering sort of clapping coming from the Beauxbatons students, as a tall, lean, silvery haired blond girl stood, smiling hugely. Dumbledore pointed her through a door behind the teachers table and as she disappeared her classmates settled back down into their seats also.

Then the same sizzling sound erupted from the Goblet and this time a rough looking sort of parchment came out and dropped into Professor Dumbledore's hand. He looked at it briefly and then proclaimed regally, "Viktor Krum!"

The boys from Durmstrang were a lot more exlamatory than the ladies of Beauxbatons. They all leapt to their feet and their clapping was like thunder as they howled in their wild applause.

Just the same as Fleur, Viktor walked forward and went into the room Dumbledore indicated.

Now the moment everyone from Hogwarts had been waiting for. Since the other two schools champions had been announced, this time around would be the Hogwarts champion.

Impossibly, the anticipation in the room pitched to such a point that it was almost palpable. You could practically see it coming off like wisps of smoke from the students. I was getting so anxious, I felt myself lean forwards. If only my latest dream could come true.

Dumbledore snatched a piece of paper from the sky as it came into his reach and he smiled a little as he read the name on the slip.

"Cedric Diggory!"

The whole school was on their feet, screaming and yelling. Me, I was clapping so hard my hands turned a bright red. Dumbledore look very pleased himself.

Before Cedric went through the door that the other two champions went through he paused for a second and turned his head, his eyes roaming over the crowd like he was searching for someone. When his eyes met mine he stopped, obviously finding the person he was looking for.

I smiled brightly at him and one corner of his mouth quirked up slightly and then he ducked through the doorway and was gone.

Our applause lasted a lot longer than the other schools. We were still clapping ever after Cedric had been long absent.

After a few lingering moments the applause faltered and then stopped altogether as everyone started to settle down once more.

Once everyone was seated Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something when the Goblet gave a sort of sizzling start and out shot. . . two. . . pieces. . . of. . . paper.

This so was not happening.

Just as my dream had unfolded, Dumbledore grabbed the slips out of the air in a state of wonder and confusion.

Then he stared at them for what seemed like. . . well what seemed like hours. . . but was probably, in reality,. . . only a few seconds. He looked up and I was having major déjà vu, because just like in my dream, his face was blank as he said, "There seems to be a slight change in plans."

The same whispered words fell around me like rain. Showering over everything.

"We appear to have two more champions for this years Triwizard tournament."

I so couldn't believe my ears. If things kept going like they were now I knew exactly what was going to happen next.

"Harry Potter. . ."

As if on cue I turned in unison with everyone else to stare at Harry. His brow was furrowed in confusion, but his mouth was wide with shock.

Here it comes, here it comes!

"And Maximum Ride."

**Authors Note: YAY MAX! Her dream came true, but you probably already guessed that, didn't you??? Anyways. I'm going to be nice and take the review goal down to fifteen, even though I might not get the chapter in 'till late because, as I said before, I'm going to be really busy this weekend. FIFTEEN!!!! Take note of that please. Thank you =J. Haha, I've never seen a smiley like that, although I bet I'm not the first to try it, but what ever.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Authors Note: First I must say that I am SO SORRY(!!!) that I haven't posted in forever. It's been part writers block, part I've been working on some other things and I just felt I needed to take a break from Magical Mayhem, but I'm back now and posts should no longer be so far spaced.**

**Dedication: This one is for everybody that is sticking with me through this story, even though I am an irresponsible author who usually leaves people hanging when I post.**

**Chapter -:Eighteen:-**

**Excitment Turns to Exasperation, Turns to Calm Conversations, Turns to Anger**

**_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

_I_ happened to be extremely excited. _I _happened to be smiling like a fool, bouncing up and down in my seat like a little kid at Christmas.

Obviously, no one was as happy about it as _I _was. I could tell from the way everyone quieted down all of a sudden, their heads turned to stare at Harry and I with blank expressions.

Harry stood up slowly, uncertainly and I followed suit. We walked side by side up to the front of the room where Dumbledore was standing, dumbstruck, his mouth hanging wide open as he stared at the two pieces of paper in his hands.

As we came closer I could hear him muttering to himself, saying, "Impossible. It's completely impossible."

"Professor Dumbledore?" I asked uncertainly.

"Go through the door," he commanded without looking up at us.

Suddenly, I felt kind of ashamed. It was against the rules for Harry and I to be in this contest and I couldn't imagine how Dumbledore felt right now. Two underage students being entered into the contest, while his age line should have prevented exactly that. Of course, I knew I hadn't put my name in the Goblet. I wasn't really sure about Harry, but I didn't think he had either. Obviously someone old enough had put them in, I just had to find out who that was exactly. Once everything was explained it would all be okay. Every one would understand.

Harry reached the door before me and ducked through quickly, no doubt wanting to escape the prying eyes of all three of the student bodies.

I was also very dismayed to find that there was not a soul to clap for either of us, not Harry's friends nor my family. It stung a little bit. Then again, they were probably to shocked to do anything at all at the current moment.

I closed the door behind me as I went through it and was met with three curious gazes; Cedric's, Fleur's, and Viktor's.

"Max? What's going on?" Cedric approached me.

"I'm not too sure as of right now. All I know is that I'm in the tournament. Isn't that exciting?" I smiled enthusiastically. Cedric however, frowned at me.

"Not exactly." He replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I inquired, my eyes narrowing.

"You're too young for this competition Max, and it's definitely too dangerous for someone your age."

"Someone. My. Age." I said slowly, through gritted teeth.

"Well, yeah," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh quite the contraire. I have more experience with danger then every one in this room, aside from Harry. Have you ever had tests done on you when you hadn't even been born yet, making you some kind of freak of nature with wings? Because I have. Have you ever fought off an army of Erasers and Flyboys with only six people? I have. Have you ever had to go on a rescue mission into the clutches of the people that had made you the mutant that you are to rescue a six year old? I have. Have you ever watched your half brother, who you didn't know you were related to at the time, slice up your best friend like a tenderloin? I have. Have you ever watched that said half brother die . . . in your arms for the second time, the first having killed him yourself? I have. Have you ever been kidnapped by a brain in a glass box and escaped through the eye of a powerful hurricane? I have. Do you have an expiration date that could show up at any moment on the back of your neck, stating the date that you were going to die? It's a possibility for me. My family and I have been on the run for so long. Trying to stay away from the School and Itex. Being here, we no longer have to worry about them, but we can't escape the numbers that could show up on us, inked into our skin like a tattoo." My voice had started out high and powerful, but now it was more menacing and low, almost a whisper.

Cedric said nothing, just stared at me with wide eyes.

"That's what I thought. So, if you ask me, I think I'm more then equipped for this competition. I don't even think you know what danger is." I spat at him and shouldered him out of my way as I came to stand by Harry.

"Wow." He said under his breath, so only I could hear.

"Wow, what?"

"Did you just make all that stuff up or is it . . ."

"True? Oh, it's all real. Every single word of it."

"Wow," he repeated.

Every one's heads snapped up as the door we had all just come through flew open and an angry, vicious looking Dumbledore barreled in. When he caught sight of Harry and I, he flew towards us and, grabbing each of us by the scruffs of our collars, slammed us against the wall.

"So you think this tournament is funny? You thought it would be a nice joke to enter yourselves and see what happens, huh?" Dumbledore's face was pressed close to both of ours as he stared intently at each of us.

"No, no sir. It isn't like that at all," Harry stuttered.

"We know this isn't a joke." I added.

"Then why, if I may ask, did you out your names in that goblet." He questioned us as the contents of the room stared.

"I didn't!" Harry and I both shouted at the same time.

"Are you trying to say you didn't put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"Look, Professor, if you would just let us go we could sit down and _calmly_," emphasis on the _calmly_," talk about it.

He seemed reluctant to let us go, but he did and after that he led us over to a group of chairs seated around a table.

"Now, tell me what happened." He ordered.

"Well, I'm not really sure exactly. All I know is that I didn't put my name in the cup and neither did Harry. I did know Harry and I were going to be in the tournament though." I explained.

"And how did you know that?" Dumbledore seemed to be calming down perceptively and I took strength from that.

"Lately, I've been having dreams. Strange dreams. Some are normal . . . but then some are different."

"Different how?"

"They come true. That first day that I met Harry, I had had a dream before that. I could feel the Dementors coming . . . and then they did. Then, last night, I had a dream that two more pieces of paper came out of the Goblet just like they actually did and the names on them were ours. I don't quite understand how this is happening, but it is. I just need you to know that we didn't put our names in the Goblet. Couldn't someone old enough have done it for a joke or something?"

"You can see the future? That is so cool." Harry smiled at me.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"We'll have to set you up with some Divination classes, so you can exercise your ability." Dumbledore said in an absent minded tone.

"But wait!" Madame Maxime shouted as she came forward.

"Yes, yes. Hogwarts already has a champion. You can not have three."

"Look, Madame Maxime, Igor, I am just as upset about the current situation as you are, but the Goblet has chosen. There is no backing out now." With that Dumbledore swept out of the room.

"We should probably head back out, I want to see what my family thinks about this whole ordeal . . . and frankly, I don't think it would be wise to stick around here." I glanced around nervously and Harry mirrored my actions.

"You're probably right."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Max! Oh my gosh I can't believe you're in the tournament, that is like, just so cool. I wish I could be in the tournament, but I really think you'd be better in and now you get to be in it and I know you wanted to be in it and that's really good for you. I can't wait for the Yule Ball though, people have been saying that is something that happens with the Triwizard Tournament, so we can get all dressed up and- Oh! I'm going to need to find a cute dress and everything and what am I going to do with my hair!" And the award for most off topic conversation is Nudge.

"Congratualtions Max!" Angel and Gazzy said at the same time and came and hugged me.

"Yeah, thanks guys."

"Way to go Max. You're totally gonna blow them all out of the water, no offense Harry." Iggy said smiling.

"None taken. I'll just go see if I can find Ron and Hermione," and with those words Harry disappeared through the milling crowd.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," Omega shook his head at me, but he was grinning too, so I knew everything was good with him.

"Where's Fang?" I asked, searching the faces in the sea of people.

"I don't know. I think he left with Malfoy." Omega informed me.

"He didn't want to say anything to me? I figured he'd be all concerned and saying 'why did you have to go and put your name in the Goblet Max?' and blah, blah, blah." I frowned slightly.

"Hey, it doesn't matter Max. I'll say that if you want." Omega said.

For some reason this bothered me. A lot.

"I don't want you to pretend to be Fang, Omega. That job is already taken." I was very angry at his words now.

I stalked off into the crowd, leaving my family standing dumbstruck behind me.

I didn't want Omega to take Fang's place. Fang should be there to do it himself, yet he wasn't. And despite all his promises, he was distancing himself from me already. All I knew was that the outcome wasn't going to be good.

**Authors Note: No more review goals!!! Yay, you're probably all excited now. I'm banishing them all because updating might be spaced out a lot more and it's really no use to set a goal when I ignore it anyways. Not saying that you shouldn't review, because you should. I love reviews. I also know this chapter is kind of short, but more is on the way.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Authors Note (IMPORTANT): Okay, first of all, it is soooo tiring having to spell check this all. I usually do it on my e-mail account, but it always stops and says it can't spell check it, so then I had to erase my profile things on Fanfiction, because when things get too long on the profile it takes forever to load, so honestly tell me; do you really care if everything is spelled correctly or not, because it is such a hastle for me and most likely others out there.**

**And second I want you to vote in my poll on what project you think I should work on after I'm finished with this one, okay? I think I just might love you, in a non weird way of course, if you do. Suggestions of things you would like to see me write are also good, so just send me a message or something anytime you'd like. Thanks.**

**Third, some of you will be less than happy with this chapter, since most weren't that excited when I brought Omega into the story. Max will probably seem a little OOC in this chapter. Okay, majorly so, but it will all play out in good time, you have to trust me. Don't give up all hope on me now!**

**Chapter -:Nineteen:-**

**What Have I Gotten Myself Into? Stinking Teenage Hormones**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

As soon as I had broke free from all the people I took off at a sprint down the almost deserted corridor. The few people that were walking down it I blew by in seconds. I glanced over my shoulder once to see them all staring after me, jaws dropped. Man, I was impressed with myself. I didn't think I was that fast on the ground, but they seemed to be amazed. I should totally run track.

I kept running, and running, and running, and running until I didn't know where I was going anymore.

I reached a staircase and I went up, and up, and up until I felt like a would fall with dizziness. The stairs just kept spiraling ahead of me and there seemed to be no end. Even so I kept going, this was definitely taking my mind off of things that I didn't want to think about.

Suddenly, I had to come to an abrupt halt when I encountered a door. I had finally reached the top.

I pushed through and came out onto a wide balcony. The night was onyx colored and the stars sparkled like diamonds against the black velvet of the sky. I could see so far, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest, the lake on the grounds. Everything was perfectly crystal clear. I noticed some telescopes and went over by one. I ran my fingers along its smooth edge absent mindedly, lost in thought.

On an impulse I look through the lens and had a closer peek at the stars. Suddenly I wished I knew what I was looking at. I wanted to be able to name the constellations in the sky. I wanted to be able to know where to look to find another planet far away.

It made me realize how many opportunities we had lost to learn. Sometimes it was just because I was paranoid. Now I had a different, more deep appreciation for Dumbledore then I had before. He had taken us in for no reason. We hadn't even known we were wizards at the time. Now I wonder if us being wizards would explain us gaining new powers that the School had not planned. It all fit.

I was so immersed in thought, as I returned to the ledge of the balcony, I didn't even notice that someone had joined me.

"Max?"

I spun around quickly, prepared to chop someone's head off.

"Oh, it's you." I snarled and turned my back on him.

"Come on, Max. What did I do wrong?" Omega came to stand beside me.

"You know what."

"No, actually, I honestly don't. So why don't you tell me, so I can fix whatever it is I've done to you that would make you so upset." He reached out as if to grab my hand but I pulled back.

"It was probably your plan all along. You're here on orders from Itex, aren't you?" As I said the words I realized how true they could very well be.

"What? What plan? I'm not here on anyone's orders but my own."

"Oh, ok. You just go ahead and play dumb, but your secrets out."

"Oh yeah Max, you've figured out my crazy master plan, oh what will I do now? I don't have a secret, Max! If I did, don't you think Angel would know?"

That was true.

"But still-" I started to say.

"Look, Max. If you want me to leave so bad you could've just said so. You don't have to go and accuse me of something you know isn't true." Omega's tone turned harsh, even though his face was a mask of hurt.

"You're trying to take Fang's place and you can't, because you're not him and you never will be!" I felt myself shaking and at first I thought it was in anger, but then I felt the tears falling down my cheeks and I realized that I was crying. The invincible Maximum Ride was crying. _Again_. I was turning into such a baby.

"Oh Max. I could never take Fangs place. He's been with you guys for so long. I was never trying to be him. If anything I was trying to be me, so you could see that I wasn't that bad after all. I want you to trust me Max, all the way, not just because the mind reader said you could.

"But you said-" I began, but I couldn't really talk over the sobbing.

"Oh . . . I guess I see how that would have sounded. I didn't mean anything by it though, please, you have to understand. I'm really sorry." Omega took my shoulders and twisted me, forcing me to look at him.

"Yeah, ok. I forgive you." I rolled my eyes, as my tears dried. I knew my face was probably really red, and I suddenly felt a little self conscious. I mean, Omega was standing, like, five inches away from me.

"And besides, Fang doesn't have anything that I don't have . . . Well, there is this one thing that he has that I'm jealous about . . ." Omega admitted.

"What does Fang have that you don't have? Invisibility?" I guessed.

"No- Well yeah, but I'm not jealous about that. I don't actually enjoy annoying people by disappearing on them. Too many tempting conversations to eavesdrop on. I wouldn't be able to resist." Omega smiled.

"Well then what are you so jealous about?" I inquired, curious.

"I don't really know if I should tell you or not." Omega seemed hesitant.

"Just tell me. I'm dying to know." I begged in a joking manor.

"He has you." Omega said simply, and his blue eyes smoldered with some emotion that was foreign to me.

"What do you mean 'he has me'?" I was confused.

"I've seen him looking at you, Max, and I've seen you looking at him. You ask about him all the time. I'm pretty sure he's in love with you . . . and I think you love him too."

"Fang, for your information, does _not_ have me. And I most certainly don't love him. He doesn't love me either. He never comes around anymore. Half the time he ignores me completely and as much as I wonder what's going through his head, I can never know.

"So no, he doesn't have me, quite the opposite actually." I insisted.

"Really?" Omega asked uncertainly.

"_Really_." I replied.

"So . . . then he wouldn't mind if I did this?" Omega questioned.

"Did wha-?" _Did what?_ I was going to ask, but he didn't give me the chance.

He quickly closed the few inches between us with his inhuman speed. Before I could protest his lips had crashed down onto mine and all coherent thoughts left my brain altogether. Without a doubt in my mind, I kissed him back. The kiss was sweet at first, the kind that most girls picture as their first, but the moment my hands wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to me, it erupted like fire. Sparks flew between us and impossibly, the kiss became more intense as his hands slid down from my shoulders, skipped down my arms and wrapped around my waist, bringing me closer still.

At that moment I spared not a thought for Fang or Cedric, or any one else for that matter. All I could think was of Omega. He was everything. My whole world. I could feel him. I could smell him. I could taste him, and oh how sweet that was.

It was the perfect moment that could only be broken by one person . . .

Someone cleared their throat loudly and said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to speak with you Max, if you could spare a minute."

I pulled back from Omega as if I had been burned. All my previous feelings were gone, having fled my mind the second I heard that voice. Now only one word registered in my mind and it repeated over and over again like a movie set on loop.

_Fang._

"Fang! I, uh . . . You wanted to talk to me?" I felt a blush creep up the side of my face. Oh how embarrassing it was to be caught red handed.

"Yeah, I've been looking for you." Fang said, glaring at me.

"Oh? I tried to find you when I got back, but every one said you were off with Malfoy doing something that must have been more important." I couldn't help but say it. I didn't care if he had just caught me and Omega kissing. I was still angry with him. Nothing could change that.

"Don't be like that Max." Fang's expression softened a bit and he was no longer throwing daggers at me with his eyes.

"You had something you needed to say to me?" I asked icily.

"Yeah, I just wanted to say congratulations on getting what you wanted and that I think you're really stupid for putting your name in the Goblet when you obviously weren't supposed to." Fang almost smiled and I melted right then and there.

"I knew you were going to say that." I smiled a real smile at him.

"Alright, well I have to go. I'll see you at tomorrows match." Fang turned to leave.

"What match?" I called after him.

"The Quiditch match. Gryffindor is playing against Ravenclaw, aren't they?"

"Oh, crap. I forgot all about that. Yeah, I'll see you there then."

"I'll be rooting for you."

"You better."

"See you later Max." Fang chuckled and shook his head and then he disappeared down the stairs.

"We should probably be heading back too. Big day tomorrow." Omega, a hand on the small of my back, propelled me towards the staircase.

"Wait." I commanded turned around to face him.

"What?"

"I wasn't finished yet," I said in a low, mischievous tone as I guided his head back down to mine.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Hiya Max." Nudge skipped happily to the breakfast table, taking a seat on the bench beside me.

"Good morning Nudge. You seem to be in an awfully good mood." I pointed out.

"You think so?" She cocked her head to the side as if debating whether or not this was true.

"I do."

"Well, maybe it's because I heard a juicy bit of gossip that is going around." She replied, filling her plate with a mound of eggs, waffles, strawberries and bacon.

"Nudge, what have I told you about rumors?" I sighed in exasperation.

"Nothing that I can recall."

"Huh, I haven't told you anything about them?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Well then I'll tell you now. Don't believe them, because odds are they're not true." I informed her.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"I usually am."

"Does that mean you don't want to hear what it is?"

"I'd rather not actually."

"I think you'll be interested if I told you." Nudge insisted.

"I doubt it."

"Oh well, I'm going to tell you anyways." Nudge shrugged happily.

"But I sai-"

"People are saying that last night, you and Omega were making out on the Astronomy tower."

"What," I spluttered and spit out the mouthful of orange juice I had just gulped down.

"Is it true?" Nudge asked excitedly and I saw some of her friends that were seated a little ways away lean in, trying to hear.

"Hey guys."

Omega chose that moment to walk over and sit in the only available seat. The one right next to me.

I blushed profusely and looked down, my face hot.

"Oh it is _so_ true," Nudge squealed and clapped her hands together as she ran off with her little buddies. No doubt about to spread the word around.

"And you just had to walk in at that precise moment, didn't you?" I spat at him.

"What?" Omega was obviously confused.

"Oh never mind." I sighed and got up.

"But what happened?"

"It's nothing," I said over my shoulder as I headed for the door. "I have to go."

"Where? Oh, come on! Tell me what's going on." Omega demanded.

"I should have been at the Quidditch ring ten minutes ago. I'm late!" I called to him as I ran towards the exit.

The way I looked at it was this. Today would either be a victory, or disastrous. One of the two.

**Authors Note: Okay, I'm sad to say I may or may not be able to review for a while. I'm going to Washington D.C. for a school trip for the next three days and then next week I'm going on vacation, so you might have to wait a while. It depends if I get anything written this weekend. I'm really really sorry though.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Authors Note: I'm soooooooo sorry for not updating sooner. We got back from the beach and I went to my dads the same day, so I couldn't type anything. Then I come home to find the my monitor is downstairs because the other one broke, so now I can't get anything that I've saved on my other computer and I had already started this chapter before I left. It's been so long though, that I've decided to just write it now.**

**IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!: Also, as much as I totally hate to do this because I don't want to give any of the story away, MAX WILL NOT BE WITH OMEGA PERMANENTLY! This is a Fax fic, and she will end up with Fang, I can promise you that. I guess most people ignored the part where I said trust your author, because most people were freaking out about it. Now I'll admit Fang will disappear from the story and things may not look well for him and Max, but they will be together in the end. Max will NOT be with Omega! I repeat Max will NOT be with Omega.**

**Also, after I post this chapter I will be posting an authors note after that, which you MUST MUST MUST read. It concerns the future of this fic, so definitely read it. Thanks.**

**And I know there wasn't any Quidditch during the Goblet of Fire, but I wanted Max to play, so there is Quidditch in my fic.**

**Chapter -:Twenty:-**

**I Hope This Doesn't End Too Badly. Then Again When Did I Ever Get What I Wished For?**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I rushed across the lawn as fast as I could, passing milling crowds of people; racing past groups that were trudging slowly towards the Quidditch field. Some were decked out in Gryffindor colors, others had on the blue and bronze of Ravenclaw.

Gryffindors students cheered as I sprinted by, probably faster then any of them had ever seen a human being run. Then again I wasn't exactly human, which brought me up to the fact that most of them probably didn't know I wasn't all the way human and they were probably expecting me to be out there on a broom stick like every one else. What a surprise they'll be getting.

Finally I reached my destination. When I ran into the room Wood was pacing up and down, Fred and George had their heads bent over a piece of paper, writing things down enthusiastically (which I had the uncanny sense to think that I didn't want to know what it was) and the rest of the team was lying around doing nothing but staring off into space. Wood's head snapped up the moment I skidded to a halt in front of him.

"There you are! You're fifteen minutes late you know, we were all worried you weren't going to come!" Wood cried.

"No we weren't," Fred and George said merrily.

"Sorry, Nudge held me up at breakfast," I replied truthfully, smiling at the twins.

"She sure does talk a lot, doesn't she?" Fred asked . . . or was it George?

"You have no idea," I groaned.

"Stop, stop, stop. There is no time for talking! Max, go get ready NOW!" Wood commanded and I scurried towards the changing room.

"Wait a minute!" Katie Bell guarded my path.

"What?" I asked in exasperation.

"I heard the _craziest_ rumor this morning, and I figured I would ask you if it was true or not before I believed anything."

"Look I really don't have time-" I began.

"Oh, it will only take a moment," Katie interrupted.

"Really, I have to get ready. We'll be starting soon."

"I heard the you and Ome-"

"KATIE!" Wood bellowed and she automatically slumped back into her seat.

"I can talk to you about it later," she squeaked.

The last thing I heard as I disappeared through the doorway was one of the Weasley twins asking Wood, "What's got you so strung up?" and then the other saying, "Yes, you've never been this tense before."

"You said Max was good right," Katie asked in a worried tone.

"She is; really, really good. It's just that, no matter how good she is, I'd rather have Harry playing," Wood said truthfully.

All the others agreed.

With a huff I began to change.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

No one had even scored with the Quaffle before the game was over.

That might have been because every one was too transfixed with my wings to pay attention to anything else. Still, the game only lasted a minute.

In that minute, though, a lot happened.

First, the Gryffindor team came out to raucous cheers and hoots of encouragement, flags and banners waving. This almost made me forget the conversation the team had had without me. Almost. Then every one had mounted their brooms and prepared to play. I was the only one left standing. I took a few running steps then launched myself into the sky. All the people in the crowd (well pretty much every one except Wood, Harry, Hermione, Ron and the flock) gasped, wondering what was going on. You can probably imagine their reaction when my wings snapped out and I rocketed straight upwards as fast as I could, in all my glory. All was silent. Then slowly, very slowly, the crowd gathered themselves up again and they were cheering once more.

The game started and I hovered where I was, using my raptor vision to search for the Golden Snitch. We were only a few seconds into the game when I sighted it. I shot off for it with my super speed. The Ravenclaw seeker, a girl like myself ( though probably not 2% bird), seemed to see this and headed towards the spot where I was aiming for. She was closer, it was true, but I was faster.

Before she could even register what had happened I was zooming into her line of vision and snatching the Snitch right out from in front of her. She had even had her hand out reaching for it, about to close her hand over the Snitch's small, quivering frame.

I flew around the stadium and up so high that all the people in the stands probably couldn't see me. I free fell to the ground then, landing with a small thump, and held the Golden Snitch high up so every one could see it. My team flew down and I was enveloped in a massive huddle. They were all cheering and patting me on the back. I swear I've never given so many high fives in such a short time in my life. All I could hear was the growing buzz of the cheering crowd and Fred and George screaming, "Bloody Hell, Max. That was coolest thing we've ever seen." in my ear.

When my teammates finally quieted down I said, so all of them could hear, "Yes I suppose I did well, but then again, no matter how good I am, you'll always rather have Harry."

They stood their speechless. Obviously they hadn't realized I had over heard them.

Since they weren't saying anything, and it appeared like they weren't going to regain their composure anytime soon, I turned on my heel and strode towards the exit.

"Excuse me," the seeker from Ravenclaw called after me, dragging Madame Hooch along with her.

"Yes?" I asked in confusion.

"I'm Cho Chang," she introduced herself.

"Max," I said, eyeing the hand she had stuck out for me to shake wearily until she let it fall awkwardly.

"Anyway, that was a really good catch, but . . ." She squirmed uncomfortably.

"But what?" My eyes narrowed.

"Well I- I just d- don't think it's really f- fair for y- you to p- play," she stuttered.

"And why is that?" I asked viciously.

"In Quidditch you must be flying on a broom. You have an unfair advantage." She spoke more to Madame Hooch then she did to me.

"Actually, if we're talking about unfair advantages, I'd like to point one thing out. What about when someone has an older version of a broom, while you have a newer version? Now let's say that version is faster then the other. Isn't that the whole problem you have with me? I'm faster then every one else?" When she said nothing I went on, "I think this matter is finished."

"But you still don't have a broom. It's in the rules," she insisted.

"If I can already fly, why do I need a stick to carry me around?" I asked distastefully.

"Cho, I'm sorry, but Max brings up a perfectly good argument. Gryffindor wins fair and square," Madame Hooch announced and walked away. Cho followed after a second of me glaring pointedly at her.

"Did we win?" Wood asked anxiously as I walked by them.

"Yes," I said stiffly.

"Was there a problem?" He inquired.

"I took care of it," and with that I launched myself into the air, coasting lazily around the stadium.

_Can we come and join you Max?_ I felt Angel enter my mind.

_Why not? _I replied gleefully, my spirits lifting as my wings flapped effortlessly through the atmosphere.

I heard wild gasps and screams from the people that were still in the stands. I swiveled around quickly to find that Angel was standing on the edge of the railing. Before anyone could pull her down she jumped. She dropped a little ways and then the air caught her wings like a parachute and slowed her. Next Gazzy scampered onto the railing and with a wild whoop shouted "AIR CANNON BALL!" and leapt off, his knees tucked close to his chest. He plummeted downwards, doing intricate flips and spirals until he decided that now would be a good time to open his wings. When Nudge jumped she spun around and waved at the crowd as she fell. Iggy jumped up and yelled, "Hey, no fair! Sure, leave the blind guy behind!"

To that Nudge flew back up, and guiding him to the rail he jumped unceremoniously and joined the rest of the flock.

"Where's Fang?" Nudge questioned, looking around.

Soon all of us were searching for him in the crowd. In the end I was the one who spotted him. . . . . . Leaving with Malfoy.

I spun around and rocketed off to where he was.

"Fang!" I exclaimed as I landed in front of him.

"What?" He asked, not meeting my eyes.

"Come on, the flocks going for a fly," I informed him.

"I don't have time."

"You don't have time to fly?" I asked incredulously.

"No, so just go without me. I'm not your babysitter," he snarled.

"What's wrong with you!?"

"What's wrong with you," he spat and then shouldered me out of his path.

I shook my and bit my lip. Things were not turning out how I had wanted them to. I opened my wings once more, and put as much space between myself and the ground as possible. Big mistake. Suddenly, and without any warning I was shocked through with a massive pain in my head. Everything went black and I could feel nothing anymore. Somewhere inside my brain, a place where the pain hadn't touched yet, I knew I was free falling through the sky, but I was too far gone to do anything about that anymore.

All I could do was hope I didn't die.

**Authors Note: Sorry I'm ending it here, but my creative juices just aren't flowing right now, so this chapter is probably really sucky. REVIEW and tell me you don't hate me anymore for making Max and Omega be together since now you know Max WILL be with Fang. Pretty please?**


	21. VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AN

**Once again this is a very important note that affects the future of this fic. **

**I need your opinion on whether or not you want:**

**A( Me to end the story with this fic.**

**or**

**B( Not end the story with this, but keep the story going along with the rest of the Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.**

**Now obviously this fic isn't nearly done, but I'd like to know what you want me to do so I can start planning the future chapters with your choice in mind. **

**Note that if you choose B, I'd like to write some other fics first so when this is done, it might be awhile before the next Magical Mayhem fic comes out. Updating might also be spanned out more, because I'd like to work on some different things now and again, so keep that in mind please.**

**So go on and review this chapter and tell me what you want to happen and I'll keep a tally of what you want done and tell you later on in the story when it's going to be important on whether or not I end it or continue.**

**Thanks.**


	22. Chapter 21

**Authors Note: Yay people don't hate me anymore. I'm very happy. I'd also like to say that pretty much all of you chose B so far, so that's good. I'd also like to put it here again, VOTE ON MY POLL!!!! It's on what project I should work on next, so go go go. **

**Also I need to know when the Yule Ball was, because it totally ecsapes me right now and I don't have the book, so if someone could tell me that'd be great.**

**Chapter -:Twenty One:-**

**Surprise Attack From an Old Enemy**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

My first thought as I wake up groggily was, he didn't catch me . . . . and I was right.

When I cracked open my eyes I found that I was surrounded by a sea of anxiously awaiting eyes peering down at me intently, and not one of them belonged to Fang.

"You're awake!" Angel cried and threw her arms around me.

"Oh my gosh Max, we were all like, so scared you weren't going to make it. I mean, your really tough and all, but you've never fallen that far before. Not without Fang catching you anyway. It's a good thing we were in a stadium full of wizards though. Practically every one in the audience drew out their wands and were about to say some spell that would stop you from falling. No one had the chance though. Fred . . . or George, well one of the two hopped onto their brooms and went flying like crazy to catch you. It was really awesome, and-" Nudge babbled away like I was going to die any second and she had to get the whole freaking story out before I entered the eternal sleep.

"Thanks, to whichever one of you it was," I called to the twins, who were sitting across the room with the rest of the Quidditch team.

"No problem," they both said at the same time, then glared at each other.

With Nudge done talking for the moment I was able to get a good look at the people surrounding me.

There was the flock, of course. Then Harry, Hermione (book in hand), and Ron. Omega was seated a little ways away, fast asleep on a chair.

"So, what happened up there Max? Did you have, like, a major brain attack or what? You seemed perfectly fine, so it was kind of weird to see. Anyway, did you see a bunch of pictures like you usually do? Did you see anything about the School or Itex? What if they're coming back? That would be super bad, don't you think? Didn't Professor Dumbledore say that they couldn't get in here though? I'm pretty sure he did. What do you think would happen if the Uber Director came back? He was kind of creepy I thought. I mean he had no body, it was revolting to look at him. OMG, remember when we were in New York and that one guy was freaking out saying we messed up his computer? That was hilarious didn't you think?" After all that, I decided it was probably best if I just tuned Nudge out.

"When am I getting out of here?" I cut down right to it.

"Madame Pomfrey said you need rest is all. You weren't hurt or anything. You should be out tomorrow morning," Iggy said.

"Just in time to go to Hogsmeade with every one," Hermione informed us.

"Hogsmeade?" Gazzy laughed at the name.

"Yes, it's a wizarding village. You'd love it Gazzy. There's a joke shop," Hermione said.

"Awesome!" Gazzy cried and then tugged excitedly on Iggy's arm.

The Gasman whispered something in his ear and then they both jumped up and shot out of the room like rockets.

"Why do I have the feeling that they are going to do something totally illegal that will get them into huge trouble?" I groaned.

"Because they always do. Like remember that one time-" Nudge started in on what I'm sure was going to be a horrifically long story.

"Nudge, I'm actually getting really tired now, so how about you and Angel go and keep an eye on the bomb squad?"

"Sure thing," she said enthusiastically and disappeared with Angel at her heels.

"If you're tired, maybe we should all leave." Harry got up.

"No, no. I just wanted to get rid of Nudge, to tell you the truth." I smiled and laughed shakily.

"What happened then. You know to make you fall out of the sky like that?" Harry inquired.

"Sometimes I have these things. I call them brain attacks, because it's like having the worlds worst headache. When it happens I see images in my mind. They flash by really quickly, and it's the same thing over and over again, like a movie set on loop," I explained.

"What did you see this time?" Hermione asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

"That's what's so strange. Nothing."

"Nothing?" Harry repeated.

"Nothing at all."

"And that's not normal?" Harry questioned.

"Not usually, no . . . Then again having brain attacks isn't exactly what you'd call normal, but still."

"Excuse me, uh Harry, Ron, Hermione. Would you mind if we could have a moment with Max?" Wood came forward.

"No, not at all." Harry got to his feet.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Ron told me.

"Feel better." Hermione smiled and patted my hand.

I watched them as they left and then turned reluctantly to face the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"What do you want?"

"Look, Max, we're really sorry you heard us," Wood said.

"Well I'm not. Now I at least know the truth."

"But it's not like that, Max. Honestly." Alicia Spinnet, one of the Chasers, insisted.

"Yeah, you heard us all wrong," the Weasely twins piped up.

"How could I mistake what I heard?" I asked, quite frankly still very livid from the previous occurences.

"What was the last thing you heard us say exactly?" Angelina Johnson, yet another Chaser, asked timidly.

"All of you agreeing," I huffed.

"So you didn't hear us when we said that Harry doesn't really have anything else but Quidditch," Katie inquired.

"And that we felt bad that Snape banned him from playing because we knew how much he loved it," Wood continued.

"So we really would rather have Harry playing because you've got this huge big family and a lot of people to do things with, while he has nothing," Fred or George finished.

I stayed silent, drinking everything in and then I said slowly, "Oh."

"Right, so we'll be seeing you at practice in a few days I expect?" Wood asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, sure." I nodded.

"Okay then. We'll let you get some rest," and they all walked out the door.

It seemed that almost immediately after the room was cleared my eyes began to become quite heavy and my mind started going fuzzy and I drifted off to sleep.

***

_Death. _

_Staring into wide, dead eyes. _

_Death. _

_Blank nothingness. _

_Death. _

_All the life has been sucked out. _

_Death. _

_Gone, gone farther than is good. _

_Death. _

_There's no coming back from that place now. _

_Death_

***

I wrenched myself upwards, panting and sweating. The light outside of the window was dark and I could vaugely see the moon peeking around the sill. It was late, that much I could tell. I layed back down again, wondering what that strange dream had been about. I didn't get far though, before I was sleeping once more.

***

_Death._

_Staring into wide, dead eyes._

_Death._

_Blank Nothingness._

_Death._

_All the life has been sucked out._

_Death._

_Gone, gone farther than is good._

_Death._

_There's no coming back from that place now._

_Death._

***

We all trudged slowly down the hill, on our way to Hogsmeade. Of course we hadn't got there without a fight.

First Professor McGonagall didn't know if we should be allowed to go, since we didn't have a permission slip. I had to convince her that we didn't need a permission slip since we didn't have an parents, which wasn't exactly true, but I decided I would neglect to tell her that my mother lived in Arizona and had no idea I was here at all anyway. I'm sure that wouldn't blow over well.

Finally though, we were all walking, much to my distaste, towards Hogsmeade.

"Now tell me again why you have to wear that invisibility cloak to come here?" I asked Harry again, even though I couldn't actually see him.

"Because there is no way my aunt and uncle are going to sign a permission slip of any sort for me, so if I want to come to Hogsmeade I have to take matters into my own hands," he explained.

"Well obviously the teachers know how awful the Dursleys are. Why don't they just let you go?"

"Rules, I guess." Harry shrugged.

"Well I think that's stupid," I concluded.

"We're here," Hermione announced, breaking out conversation.

"This is Hogsmeade?" I asked incredulously.

"This is the great wizardry village?" Gazzy asked disbelievingly.

"Well I can't see obviously, thank you very much." Iggy grumbled and stared pointedly in Hermione's direction, which reminded me that I still hadn't talked to Iggy about his attitude. He was such a drama queen.

"I want to go to the joke shop you were talking about," Gazzy demanded.

"No, we want to go to the candy shop!" Nudge and Angel insisted.

"I can't see! I can't see! I can't see!" Iggy kept screaming as Gazzy fought with Angel and Nudge on where they were going first.

"STOP IT!" I thundered, and they all immediately hushed.

"As your leader, I must say, shut the hel- heck up!" I caught myself just in time, but Angel and Gazzy were staring at me with pursed lips, knowing exactly what I was about to say.

"Iggy, Gazzy you go with Fred and George to the joke shop. Angel, Nudge you can go to the candy store, okay?" I commanded.

"Hey, no fair!" the Gasman stomped his foot.

"How is that not fair?" I asked incredulously.

"Why do we have to be supervised and they don't?"

"Because you and Iggy need to be supervised . . . and I wouldn't exactly call it supervision." I stared peculiarly at the Weasley twins.

"Was that an insult?" Fred asked, feigning hurt.

"We don't appreciate that," George intoned . . . or was it the other way around?

"Just go!" I ordered and every one scurried off in different directions.

Now it was only Harry, Ron, Hermione and me left (Omega didn't want to come). We set off down one of the streets in companionable silence. It was so nice and peaceful that it couldn't last, not if your name was Maximum Ride and you were a complete mutant freak.

Suddenly, the chatter of the people passing by was interrupted by screams as wolfish creatures and robotic figures that looked just like them landed by the dozens on the street before us.

"What are those!?" Hermione cried out in alarm.

"Erasers and Flyboys," I said grimly.

"What!?" Harry asked dumbly.

"Never mind, just make sure every one stays back," I ordered and sprang into action.

With a running start I launched myself into the sky, and was met their with some frantic looking flock members, all except for one. Big surprise.

"How did they find us?" Nudge was having a panic overload and not trying to hide it. This was what cushy life was doing to us. We were getting used to being protected by other people, and that wasn't good. Not at all.

"I don't know, but the important thing is that we get rid of them!" I answered and we got into fight mode.

In about ten minutes, filled with much punching, kicking and bloodshed, we were finished.

"What just happened?" Ron asked in confusion.

"What happened was the people that we're running from have caught up to us. We're going to fly back to Hogwarts okay. We'll see you guys later," and with that the flock took off into the sky.

Iggy and Gazzy we already back to normal, plotting and scheming with the new things they had bought. Nudge was babbling away already, Angel listening intently. I wasn't back to normal though. Thoughts, not nasty, but unpleasant thoughts, kept running through my mind.

First, being at Hogwarts was obviously softening us up. Never before would Nudge panic like that. Never would Iggy hesitate to throw a bomb, but they had done just that today and because of this I had to contemplate whether or not we should really be staying for very much longer. I knew if we left it would upset the flock deeply . . . and with the way Fang had been acting lately I didn't even know where he stood on the matter. If I did decide for us to leave . . . would he follow? Which brings us to our next point.

Two, Fang had not helped at all during the battle. When we had finished kicking butt and the last of the cowardly Erasers and Flyboys had disappeared over the horizon I had looked into the crowd that had gathered and seen Fang standing right at the front, Malfoy at his side, watching . . . just watching.

What was I going to do? Plus, the added stress of the first task that was coming up wasn't exactly helping the matter either.

**Authors Note: I don't think they went to Hogsmeade either during GoF but I made them go anyway. Review as always. **


	23. Chapter 22

**Authors Note: Sorry it's been so long. I had to go to this volleyball camp in Kentucky and while I was there I just so happened to sprain my ankle! Lucky me, right? Anyway, when I got back I went to my dads and stayed there for a while, so I couldn't update. Once again I'm sorry for the wait, but here's the next chapter. Don't hate me. Make sure you read the note at the end.**

**Also, I'll say it again, vote on my poll! I'll be taking it down when I post the next chapter, so hurry up and vote!**

**Dissssclaiiiiiiimmmmerrrr: I don't own Maximum Ride or Harry Potter, for obvious reasons . . .**

**Chapter -:Twenty Two**

**Promises Are Made to be Broken . . . Right?**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Iggy, is that you?" I asked as I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the shape sitting in the high backed chair by the fire, or what was left of it anyway. There were only a few more glowing embers left at the bottom. I had come down to the common room to find it already occupied by someone else, but I thought vaguely I knew who it was.

"Yeah," he said in a blank tone.

I went and sat across from him. Now would be as good time as any to talk to him about his unnatural behavior.

"What are you doing up so late?" I inquired. It was about one o'clock in the morning,

"What are _you _doing up so late?" He shot back

"Fair enough . . . I couldn't sleep," I admitted truthfully.

"Me neither," he sighed.

"Iggy I've been meaning to talk to you."

"About what?" He stared morosely out of the window, which was kind of stupid considering he was blind. There wasn't really anything to see, anyway, but darkness with the occasional star. There wasn't anything else there but the moon, and that was covered up with grayish clouds.

"You've been acting really weird lately." I got right to the point.

"How so?" This seemed to be news to him, as he turned back to me with a surprised look on his face.

"You've never been so, well . . . sensitive about your eye sight," I said slowly.

"What are you talking about? I don't care really. It doesn't bother me anymore." He shrugged indifferently.

"Really? Well what about earlier today when you were screaming that you couldn't see?" I questioned.

"Oh, that . . . I was just messing around." As he said this a shadow crossed his face, confirming that he was totally lying.

"And I've noticed something, too." I went on, as if he hadn't spoken.

"Oh? And what's that?"

"It only seems to bother you when Hermione's around," I said nonchalantly.

"How do you figure." His tone was cool, but he had frowned slightly.

"Well, whenever she says something remotely about looking at something you totally go off on her."

"So?"

"Well it's not normal . . . and Hermione is really upset."

"Why would she be upset? I'm the one that's blind," he said gruffly.

"She thinks you hate her."

"Maybe I do," he replied, but he didn't look like he hated her. He actually looked like he was kind of sorry.

"I know that's not true. I don't know, however, why you would say maybe you did."

"It's really none of your business, Max," Iggy said harshly. "You're not exactly the master at relationships, are you. Look at you and Fang!"

I recoiled like I had been slapped, and he seemed to sense this because he immediately dropped the tough guy act and apologized.

"Look . . . it's just complicated, okay," he insisted.

"Oh my gosh."

"What?"

"I totally get it now." I shook my head in amazement at how I hadn't seen it before.

"Get what?"

"You like Hermione. I mean, you like, like Hermione."

"What!? No, no I don't." Iggy said quickly, a little too quickly.

"Oh yes you do."

"It's that obvious, huh?" He gave up trying to pretend like nothing was going on.

"Not obvious at all actually. You should be fine."

"You won't tell anybody, will you? Especially not Hermione."

"Of course I won't. You're going to tell her."

"Oh no I'm not. I couldn't. It would be too embarrassing." He slumped in his chair.

"Embarrassing how?" I inquired.

"She would never like me. I'm blind, remember."

"Iggy. I know Hermione, fairly well even though we haven't been here long, and I assure you she doesn't care of your blind or not." I insisted.

"I'm tired Max. I think I'll head off to bed."

"But-" I began.

"Good night," and with that he disappeared up the boys dormitories steps.

"Good night," I called after him and made my way towards my room.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

It had been a lazy morning and I was walking down one of the gazillion corridors in the castle, on my way to lunch when I heard boisterous laughter ahead of me. I turned the corner and there was Fang, Malfoy and his minions. I was struck again by how distant he had become. Seeing him laughing and almost smiling hurt a little. I would have to confront him sometime or another, plus I was already on a roll from my talk with Iggy, so I might as well get this one over with too.

"Hello Fang," I greeted him and planted myself in the middle of the hallway so he couldn't pass without having to speak to me.

He didn't speak to me, in fact, he put on his face a horribly cold sneer and shouldered past me, without saying one word. I wasn't going to let him go that easily though.

"You promised Fang," I said softly, but I knew he had heard because he stopped dead in his tracks and his shoulders stiffened.

"Promised what?" He snarled.

"You promised you would never leave me again, not after the whole Germany ordeal."

"Does it look like I left?"

"Not physically, no. Mentally, emotionally yes. You never talk to any of us anymore. I can understand why you'd be upset with me, honestly I do. Why punish the whole flock though. Gazzy says Angel cries at night you know, and don't think Gazzy isn't upset either. He looked up to you so much Fang, and now you've abandoned him. Plus, Iggy's having girl problems and I so don't feel like dealing with them right now. They all need you, just as much as they need me," I insisted.

Fang stood stock still, not moving, as immobile as stone.

"Are you coming or not Fang?" Malfoy called from a little ways away.

"Yeah, I'm coming," and with that he left me standing in the hall, staring after him.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Max!" Harry half ran down the Great Hall to reach me.

I wasn't really paying attention though. In truth I was half paralyzed almost. It was like I wasn't truly all the way there, eating lunch at the Gryffindor table. I was mostly still back in that retched hallway, replaying that same scene over and over again, trying to make sense of what had happened. Did Fang really just choose Malfoy over the flock, his family?

"Max," Harry repeated my name since I still hadn't answered him. All I was really capable of doing was staring with glassy eyes at the still full plate before me. I was completely starving, but I couldn't make myself eat.

"Max!" Harry said a little more urgently.

"What?" I asked in a blank monotone.

"I need you to come with me." He pulled my arm, but I didn't move.

"Why?" I asked dumbly.

"There's something important I have to tell you."

"Tell me here."

Harry sighed in frustration then bent to whisper something in my ear.

"I know what the first task is," he hissed.

That snapped me out of my . . . state. Almost instantaneously I scrambled off of the bench and Harry and I jetted off towards the exit.

"What is it?" I questioned when we were safely outside, away from any prying ears.

"Dragons," he said simply.

"Dragons?"

"Dragons."

"Do Dragons even exist?"

"Of course they do, and that's what the first task is."

"Well what do we have to do, with the dragons I mean?"

"That I don't know," he admitted.

"Right, well thanks for letting me now." I smiled.

"You're one of my friends now Max, at least I consider you as one. Of course I would tell you."

"Did you tell any one else?" I asked, curious.

"One other person."

"Who?"

"Cedric."

I had actually forgotten all about Cedric Diggory. I don't think I have spoke a word to him since that day when we were named champions.

"Oh, well good."

My stomach loud out a ferocious gurgle then.

"Why don't we go and get something to eat," Harry laughed.

"Let's," I laughed along with him.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I walked into the common room to find Iggy seated in one of the chairs. He had moved it so he sat directly in front of the entrance.

"It's nice to see you Max." A smile spread across his face ever so slowly.

"I hate to break it to you Igs, but you can't _see_ anything."

"Oh, quite the contraire."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hermione did this spell, and now I can see!" He shouted and jumped up in excitement.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Seriously."

"Oh my gosh! That's great Iggy!" I smiled broadly and hugged him.

"So, while Hermione was fixing you up did you by chance mention your undying devotion and love for her?" I asked.

"No!" He crossed his arms and glared at me.

"Does the rest of the flock know?"

"Not yet. I wanted to surprise you first."

"Well go and tell them, go and tell them!" I shooed him out of the room.

**Authors Note: I thought I'd balance out the bad with some good. Good: Iggy got his eyesight back! YAY! Bad: One word, Fang. Review.**

**P.S. I figured I'll say this right now, Fang will be back!!! I repeat, Fang will be back!!!**

**Also I'm sorry if it seemed a little rushed. I just really want to get the story moving along a lot faster than I had before.**


	24. Chapter 23

**Authors Note: Moving along, moving along. Thanks to Thydude for the . . . instance that takes place later in this chapter.**

**Dedication: To all of you for sticking out my crazy writing schedule. Lately I haven't been updating as well as I could, and I'm surprised that anyone is still following this story.**

**Chapter -:Twenty Three:-**

**Fight or Flight**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I walked slowly back to the Gryffindor common room. For a while I had been mulling over the complications that had arose in my life since we had come to Hogwarts, but it had all just become too overwhelming and I had to, eventually, clear my head of all thoughts completely. Now I just kept at a steady tread through the corridors. I should have been flying somewhere, off into the sunset with my flock, my _whole _flock, with me. Fight or Flight was pretty much our motto, and right now my initial instinct was to throw down the wand that I could feel pressed tight against my body in my jeans pocket, throw open a window and get the hell out of there.

All those thoughts were stopped though, when I came to the moving picture of a fat lady in a pink taffeta covered dress.

"Password?" She asked in a high, clear voice.

"Umm," Great, I forgot the password.

"No password, no entry"

"Oh come on," I moaned.

"I'll give you a hint. It's a muggle treat that is a variation of something from the wizarding world."

"Jelly bean," I remembered.

Without a second look she swung her frame open and I hopped into the room.

"Where have you been?" Iggy asked, looking up at me as I entered the room.

He and Ron were sitting on opposite ends of a chess board. It would have seemed normal enough, the _only_ normal thing I had seen in a long time in fact, except the pieces were moving by themselves. I raised my eyebrows in question and Ron said, "Wizard Chess."

"Go figure."

"Where have you been?" Iggy repeated his question.

"Some stupid champion thing," I replied.

"What did you have to do? Did they give you any information about the first task. It is coming up pretty soon, you know."

"Yeah, tomorrow," I reminded him.

"That soon?"

"Yep."

"Do you think you're ready?"

"Iggy, if there's one thing you've learned since the day we met, what would that be?"

He smirked a tiny bit, reminding me way to much of Fang, who I had resolved to not think about anymore until after the Tournament since all he was doing was distracting me.

"I was born ready."

For a moment it seemed like everything was at peace as Iggy and I just sat there and laughed with each other. After we finished Iggy and Ron continued their game as I sat and stared out of the window, sometimes glancing at their progress across the board.

Harry and Hermione walked into the common room, followed by Fred and George who were hiding something behind their backs, which wasn't a good sign at all. Ron jumped up and scurried over to Hermione, and after whispering something in her ear shot Harry a death glare that could slightly rival my own and disappeared up the steps to his room.

With a sigh Hermione said, "Ron wishes for me to tell you that Iggy is a much better chess partner then you ever were."

Harry just rolled his eyes and sat down next to me.

"Why couldn't Ron just tell you that himself?" I asked in confusion.

"You really haven't noticed have you?" Harry inquired.

"Noticed what?"

"Ron is mad at Harry because he thinks that Harry put his name in the Goblet and didn't tell Ron how to do it too, so now I have to play messenger between them." Hermione grumbled and sat down in the chair Ron had previously occupied.

When she did that Iggy shot up and left the room in a hurry, Hermione watching forlornly after him.

"I thought fixing his eyesight would make him like me, but he still doesn't," she sighed.

"Oh you don't know how wrong you are." I smirked without thinking of Fang. Crap, I just thought of him didn't I?

"What are you talking about?"

"So Ron is mad at Harry?" I changed the subject quickly, not wanting to give too much away.

"More like he hates my guts." Harry slumped in his chair.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before. I can tell now. Guess I'm not as perceptive as I thought."

I _could_ see it now. How I hadn't seen Ron sit beside or talk to Harry what so ever. He had gone to Hogsmeade with us, but he hadn't spoken to Harry directly the whole time.

Just then Omega walked past us, his nose glued to the book he held, reminding me of Hermione.

"Hey," I called.

He looked up, smiled . . . and then disappeared up the stairwell.

"Where has he been lately?" Harry asked.

"Somewhere, he likes being alone I guess. All the better for us all."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I was on my way to dinner when I saw a certain silver haired Slytherin sneaking into an empty classroom . . . alone.

Draco Malfoy.

With a glance behind me, making sure no one was there, I followed him quietly. I slid through the open doorway, and hid in the shadows, just watching. After a few minutes of agonizing boredom, just watching him stand there, doing nothing; I walked slowly towards his unprotected back. A big mistake on his part. He should have known I was out for his blood, after he had stolen Fang away.

When I was standing directly behind him I leaned over until I was right by his ear and whispered menacingly, "You should have known better then to go anywhere without the brainless fools you call friends."

With a girlish shriek he jumped about ten feet and the air and tried to make a run for it. I sighed and reached out, snagging the back of his collar, holding him back.

"And where are you going?" I snarled.

"I'll- I'll tell Fang, and then you'll be in big trouble," he stuttered.

"Ha, and what do you think Fang would do? He can't hurt me. Let's face it, I'm faster and I'm stronger. He can't beat me. After all, I am his fearless leader."

"Not anymore. He left you without a second thought. He doesn't care about you, he cares about being on top, and in Slytherin he is. At least he is if he stays by my side."

"I don't know what's going on with Fang, but it isn't over with us, trust me. I'm not going to let him off the hook that easily. He has an obligation to the flock."

"Well he has an even bigger obligation to someone else at the moment."

"And who might that be?"

"You don't want to know."

"You're right, that's not what I came her to do."

"And what did you come here to do then?" I detected a note of fear creeping into his voice.

"This," and with that I spun him around and punched him straight in the nose. There was a satisfying, but sickening crack

Malfoy cried out in pain and with a laugh I dropped his shirt, letting him fall into a crumpled ball on the ground. With my head held high I left the room, making my way to the Great Hall once again.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"MAX!" Fang thundered as he glowered at me from across the room.

The whole hall fell deathly silent, everyones heads swerving to look at Fang, then to me and back again,

"Yes?" I smiled pleasantly at him, even though it pained me to do so.

"I'm going to kill you," he announced.

"Really? I'd like to see you try," I snorted. "I haven't had a good fight since Hogsmeade. It's getting kind of boring,"

"Is that a challenge," he set off across the room.

"Only if you take it that way dear," I said in a sickly sweet voice.

I stood as he neared, meeting him half way. We glared at each other, standing so close our noses were almost touching.

"Now, now. There's no need for violence," Dumbledore called to us.

We both whipped our heads around to look at him and shouted, "Stay out of this!"

That set us both off. With a huff my fist flew at his face, connecting with his jaw. He winced slightly, but he was undeterred. His right hand came barreling towards me, but with my lightning fast reflexes I gripped it with my own, smirking at him.

"Is that the best you got?" I inquired in a mocking tone.

"Nope," he grunted and his left hand embedded itself into my stomach. I doubled over and he laughed. I wasn't having that. My knee jammed into his own torso and I straightened out as he clutched his abdomen. With a sharp roundhouse kick to his side, he was on the floor. He quickly rolled out of my reach, hopping to his feet.

"Nice," he complimented me.

"I do my best," I shrugged.

He punched me in the jaw, just like I did him, and then followed it up with a fist to my nose.

"Nice," I praised _him_ this time.

"I do my best," he said acidly.

With a snarl I gripped his arm, twisting it up and pulling him around until his back was facing me. I grabbed his other arm and held that behind his back too. I kicked him away from me, and he landed flat on his face, but just flipped back up again. He came back to my full force then. I got a quick punch to his nose before he wrapped his hands around my neck and squeezed as hard as he could. I could hear people gasping as they realized just how intense things had just gotten. I clawed at his arms, but his grip loosened no less. I was getting tunnel vision, and I could feel my legs giving out from under me. With one last effort I lashed out with my right leg. It connected with his and he stumbled. With every ounce of power I had left in me I kicked his legs out from under him, causing him to fall on his back, effectively getting rid of his grip on my neck. I gasped for breath once, but that was all the time I had because Fang was getting up again. I planted my foot on his chest, shoving him back down. With a growl I straddled him and now I was the one choking him.

"This is what you deserve. After you abandoned me like that. After you left me when I needed you the most. Everything is falling apart Fang, and I just can't do it by myself, I can't," I whispered so only he could hear and not the thousands of people that were probably in the room.

I was killing him, and he wasn't trying to stop me. He wasn't trying to stop me.

I stumbled backwards, letting him regain his breath.

"What are you doing? Why didn't you kill me?" He asked in a raspy voice.

"You didn't try to stop me. I'm not going to kill you unless you put up a fight."

I spun around and fled the room. Fight or Flight. Fight or Flight. Fight or Flight . . .

**Authors Note: So what did you think of the fight between Fang and Max? I don't really know how good it was, since I've never written a fight scene like that before. That's why I didn't give the details at Hogsmeade, because I didn't know if I could do it . . . so tell me what you think, in a REVIEW! **

**Guess what the next chapter is though . . . The First Task!**


	25. Chapter 24

**Authors Note: In this chapter I'm gonna take a little of the actual GoF book, and the movie. You should be able to tell where. And hey! Fastest update in a long time! I'm so proud.**

**Also, I've decided to keep my poll up until I've finished this fic instead of closing it. So far a Twilight fic is in the lead, Maximum Ride fic and a Hunger Games fic are tied and then a House of Night fic. There are no votes for a Blue Bloods fic. So go vote on what you want . . . please?**

**Chapter -:Twenty Four:-**

**The First Task**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

Harry and I were sitting at the table, picking at our lunches while every one else chatted merrily together. We were both extremely tense. Today was the day of the first task, and we were both lost in our own worlds, wondering what was going to happen. My train of thought was broken as Professor McGonagall came scurrying towards us. She told us hurriedly that we had to go prepare for the first task. I saw Harry swallow and nod, but I just stayed silent. I was still a bit scarred from last night, and I had just been quiet after that. I wasn't thinking about it, no I refused to do that, but I couldn't talk either. There weren't any words when I tried.

"Good luck." Hermione smiled reassuringly at us both.

Harry tried to smile back, but it was more of a grimace. I just nodded, as usual.

"You'll do great Max, you too Harry," Iggy clapped him on the back.

Nudge opened her mouth, but Angel covered it quickly and said, "I'll speak for Nudge and I both, you'll be perfect."

"Fight hard," Gazzy mumbled around a mouth full of food. "You never know you might have to wrestle the-" Angel clapped her other hand over his mouth.

I rolled my eyes and followed Professor McGonagall out of the hall, Harry by my side.

We were led to a tent where the other champions were already. There was a man there, who apparently knew Harry, who explained what was going to happen and blah, blah, blah; boring, boring, boring.

"Ladies First." He opened the bag and held it in front of me.

"If we're going by how ladylike we are, then you should probably offer it to Fleur first and me last." I spat.

"Right, here you go," and he moved the bag towards Fleur, eyeing me nervously.

She reached her hand in and when she pulled it out in her hand was a model of a green dragon, with the number two around its neck.

"Welsh Green," Harry whispered in my ear, obviously knowing about the different kinds of dragons that I hadn't even known existed until recently.

Krum did the same and came up with another miniature dragon, this time with a three tied to it.

"Chinese Fireball."

Cedric had what Harry called a Swedish Short-Snout with a number one. Then it was Harry's turn. Gulping loudly he reached in and brought his hand out slowly. The dragon in his palm bared its miniscule fangs at him and flapped its tiny wings.

"Hungarian Horntail," he said under his breath, but I heard him. There was a four attached to it.

Finally the silk bag was offered to me. With a blank expression on my face I slid my hand into its cool enclosure, feeling around for something that wasn't smooth like the fabric of the bag. Suddenly my hand came in contact with something. I pulled my hand out quickly, wanting to see what I was going up against. The model was a lot bigger than the others, and it was a metallic grey color. It had red eyes that were glaring up at me and long claws that had just decided to rip into my skin. I grabbed its head with my other hand and inspected the bleeding cuts on the previous.

"What's this one?" I asked Harry calmly.

"It's a Ukrainian Ironbelly." He informed me.

"Fantastic," I muttered sarcastically.

"It's considered the most dangerous of all dragons."

"Even better."

"He weighs up to six tons though, so they're pretty slow."

"Finally, some good news."

"You probably couldn't have picked a better one, Max. You're super fast right, so you could use that to your advantage."

"Let the games begin," was all I said in reply.

It was absolute tourcher listening to the sounds coming from outside and not being able to see it all happening. First Cedric, then Fleur, then Viktor all walked out of the tent. It was Harry's turn then, and he was obviously nervous.

"Focus Harry, you can do this. I know you can." I grabbed his shoulders roughly and shook him hard. Just then the whistle blew. He looked at me with frightened eyes.

"Good luck," I told him and then pushed him towards the opening in the tent.

"But-" he began.

"Go!" I ordered, and shoved him out.

It was nerve wracking listening to the shouts and gasps coming from the crowd. It got even worse when people started screaming and yelling in terror. Then it was deathly silent. This made me wonder whether Harry was alive or not. They had said that no one would be hurt, right? This thought should have consoled me, but I couldn't help but picture the dragon swallowing Harry before anyone could do anything. From what I had gathered, dragons were still wild animals. With all this thinking I must have spaced out, because the next second there was a whistle and I knew it was my turn.

I walked out to blinding sunlight, but my eyesight quickly got used to the brightness. I was planning on checking out the landscape first, but something else caught my attention. A perfect replica of the dragon I had held in my palm back in the tent. The only difference was that this one was ginormous! It towered high above me, and I could see steam flowing from its nostrils. It opened it's mouth, showing two rows of jagged spikes that I took for teeth. Just like its mini version, Ironbelly here had glowing red eyes, reminding me of the dying embers of a fire. Even worse though, was the fact that some of its razor sharp talons actually had what looked like dried blood on them. With eyes wide I let my glance sway to the already healing marks on my hand. Ironbelly raised its head and let out a mighty roar. It lifted its front legs up in the air and reared. That's when I saw it. A golden egg, laying in front of it. My brain automatically recognized that that was what I was here to get.

"Might as well get it over with then," I muttered under my breath.

With a sigh I snapped out my wings, took a running start, and launched myself into the air. I didn't realize until then how long it had been since I had went flying. I had been so preoccupied with school and the tournament that I had totally neglected what I had been doing for most of my life. With a smile I circled around the arena, stretching out my wings and settling into the comfortable feel of flying once more.

The dragon was tracking me with it's watchful eyes, but I ignored it. After about a minute of doing nothing about the egg, I decided it was time to take action. I hovered in the air a little ways away, scopeing out the immediate area. It seemed that if I was going to retrieve the egg I would have to make a diversion.

So with wand in hand I edged closer and closer. Finally the dragon seemed to notice my close proximity and blew a tendril of fire at me. I was unfazed, dodging out of the way and continuing forward. It took a step towards me, and raising one mighty paw, tried to swat me away like a fly. With a huff I dived towards the egg. People were gasping all around, probably wondering how I could be so stupid. Being stupid, however, wasn't apart of my plan. The dragon stood on it's hind legs and tried to trap me, but I swerved away at the last second. It barely missed me.

Harry was right. The Ukrainian Ironbelly was slow. It's reflexes were way out of whack, but I could understand why it wouldn't want to move so much, considering how much it weighed. I would work this to my advantage somehow, I just had to figure out how.

I pulled out my wand and pointed it at a spot slightly to the left of the dragon. Sparks flew out of its tip and landed where I directed them. Just as I suspected the dragon turned to see what was going on. I moved closer.

Seeing nothing it continued to stare intently at me. With a slight smirk I did the same as before, only to the right. The dragon looked away, I moved closer.

Now was the time to take it up a notch. I fired at odd places all around Ironbelly. Behind, to the right, to the left. Each time its attention was diverted I moved closer, and closer still.

With quick precision I put a temporary blinding spell on the dragon. It couldn't see now, but it could still sense me. I sent sparks directly in front of the dragon, it launched forwards, but only tackled the egg. It rolled about ten feet away. With as quick of movements as it could manage it began forwards, searching for its precious egg. With one last spell, I shot a spark behind the dragon. It twirled around like a clumsy ballerina and I looped over, caught up the egg and going at top speed, flew out of the Ukrainian Ironbelly's reach.

People all around were cheering for me, and it felt good. For the first time in a long, _long_ time; I felt _good_.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I walked into the first aid tent, looking for Harry. I had seen Hermione a few minutes ago and she had told me where to find him. I smiled as I saw Ron talking to Harry, and they were both smiling. Then Hermione burst into tears and I heard her call them stupid, which was probably true.

I walked over to them.

"Friends again?" I asked.

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Well at least someone got their best friend back, instead of trying to kill each other." I didn't even mean to say that out loud. I didn't even mean to think it for that matter, but it just came out.

I could tell that my expression had darkened dramatically and I was frowning.

"Umm, well come on. They 'ought to be putting up you scores by now," Ron said cheerfully and headed out.

"Yeah, let's go see how we did," Harry said and followed suit.

With a shake of my head, to clear my thoughts, I put a fake smile on my face and left the tent as if nothing happened.

"So how did you get your egg?" I asked Harry.

"I used the Accio spell, to get my broom. Then I flew around. Then the dragon got out of its chains and chased me all over the grounds," he replied nostalgically.

"No way," I said in astonishment.

"Oh it's true." Ron nodded his head vigorously.

"That definitely beats me out for most dramatic," I said.

"What did you do?"

"I flew around. Confused the dragon with some sparks, blinded it, made it roll the egg towards me, sent a spark behind it. It thought it was me, turned, and then I snatched up the egg and fled. Nothing special, really." I shrugged.

"You were done a lot quicker than most," Ron informed me.

"Good to know. That should be good for my score, right?"

"We'll have to see," Harry pointed to where the five judges were sitting, on raised chairs draped in gold.

In the end, after having Karkaroff give him a lousy, extremely biased score, Harry had a total of forty.

"Not bad Harry, not bad at all." I clapped him on the back.

Then it was my turn.

Madame Maxime raised her wand . . . nine.

. . . ten.

Dumbledore . . . nine.

Ludo Bagman . . . seven, which seemed quite unfair considering he gave Harry a ten. I raised my eyebrows at Harry and he turned red and mouthed sorry at me. At least he too knew that Bagman had given him a very biased score.

Now it was Karkaroffs turn and I really didn't know what to expect. He raised his arm, and just like with Harry he paused slightly, as if thinking about it, and with a flick of his wrist a number coiled and appeared in the air.

Five.

"Whatever," I shrugged.

"How can you say whatever? You deserved more than five! I watched you. You're not even hurt!" Ron exclaimed.

"I still got forty. That means Harry and I tied."

"With Krum," Ron mumbled.

"Oh we tied with Krum, the horror!" I cried sarcastically.

"It's still first place," Harry added.

"Correct."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Oh. My. Gosh. That was so awesome! With the dragons, like actual, real, fire breathing, totally terrifying dragons! I didn't even know dragons existed. That was the coolest thing I've ever seen! All the champions were using magic and trying to trick their dragon, it was just . . . awesome! You did the best, though, Max. You were just flying around, and you totally confused your dragon. Then, you blinded it, so it practically handed you the egg. OMG! The golden egg. That reminds me of Charlie and the Chocolate factory, the original, with the geese that layed golden eggs, and that nasty, spoiled bratty one wanted her dad to buy one for her, so she sang this big song and then she was stupid enough to stand on the good egg; bad egg weigher thingy, and since she was a bad egg, she went down the shoot! That was such a funny part! And then-"

"NUDGE! SHUT UP!" All of us shouted together.

"Huh?" She looked at us in confusion.

"Anyway, as I was saying before Nudge interrupted me," I stared pointedly at her.

"Speaking of interruptions, we all kind of wanted to interrupt you, because for one you were talking about nothing really, and . . . I just interupted didn't I?" Angel asked sheepishly.

"Yes you did."

"Sorry, continue."

"No, no. Tell me what you need to tell me," I insisted.

"Oh, wait, Omega told me to tell you good luck." Gazzy said.

"It's a bit late for that, don't you think?"

"Well I forgot to tell you this morning."

"Right. Can I go on?" I asked.

Iggy nodded, Angel said yes sweetly, Gazzy shrugged, and Nudge didn't say anything, because I put my hand over her mouth so she couldn't talk.

"I was going to say that we should all go and fly together. We haven't done that in awhile, and I think it's a good idea."

They all agreed.

It was all going well until we met Fang at the door.

"Fang," I said coldly, and the flock glared at him with guarded eyes.

He said nothing, just stared.

"We're going flying," Angel said suddenly.

"Angel?" I asked.

"He was asking in his head . . ."

"Oh, well it really isn't any of your business, now is it Fang?"

Still he said nothing."

"You could come if you'd like," Angel gave him a candy coated smile.

I stared at her incredulously.

"Oh, but wait, it's kind of a flock members only thing, so I guess you can't," Nudge said acidly.

I smirked, proud of my girls for shunning him so well.

I probably imagined the flash of hurt that appeared in Fang's eyes as we pushed past him.

. . . . . Probably.

**Authors Note: Review?**

**Also, I really hate that just when I get back into writing mode, and I'm having ideas and I'm typing them out, my mother decides that I spend too much time on the computer. So, I was planning on updating rather quickly and getting this whole thing done, but now that she said this, it will not be happening. So if updates come far and few again, I'm truly sorry. Blame her. I'll do the best I can to get the story to you. Man, I just sounded like a reporter there. Huh . . .**

**In othe news (reporter again, and I seriously didn't even mean to sound like that.), next chapter is the Yule Ball, YAY(!!!) in which an unfortunte accident occurs. There will be much bloodshed, I assure you. Whoops, hope I didn't give too much away.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Authors Note: Here it is, here it is. **

**Chapter -:Twenty Five:-**

**The Yule Ball, Invented For my Own Personal Torcher**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

"Max!" I heard Harry calling for me. Thank God.

"I'll be right back," I pried myself out of Nudge and Angels grip.

"No! You can come back here right now. Whatever Harry has to say can wait," Angel insisted.

"MAX!" Nudge shrieked as I continued towards the door.

"Overaction," I muttered under my breath and hurried down the steps.

"What's the matter Harry? Because of you I'll likely be killed for leaving."

"There's something wrong with Iggy." Harry was pointing to a darkened corner.

"Great," I groaned and made my way over.

Iggy _was_ there, seated in one of the high backed chairs. He was staring forlornly at the floor. His face was crumpled in sadness. He wasn't dressed for the ball, just in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and I bet I knew exactly what was wrong, too. A little girl trouble could be solved though.

"Did you think she wasn't going to go with anybody?" I asked quietly.

He shrugged.

"Were you going to ask her to go with you?"

"No."

"Then why are you so sad that she's going with Krum?"

"Because I wanted to ask her, but I wasn't going to. She would say no. Obviously she likes someone else."

"Iggy, I demand that you go get dressed and haul your butt to that ball with us!"

"What's the point."

"Well for one, you can't just sit here, wallowing in your own self pity; and I need someone else to make fun of the ball with."

He tried not to smile, but he didn't succeed.

"Go!" I dragged him to his feet and pushed him in the direction of the boys dormitories steps.

"Fine, but I won't have fun," he mumbled.

"I'm not going to have any fun either, but you don't see me complaining . . . yet."

"MAX!" Angel and Nudge both screeched from the top of the steps.

"I'm coming!"

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I felt, utterly and completely stupid. Apparently no one else saw it that way. It was all-

"Max you look so pretty."

"Max, you look gorgeous."

"Max you'll be the best looking one there."

"Max, no one will be able to look away from you."

They make me want to get sick all over this wonderful dress (note sarcasm).

"Twirl," Angel commanded.

"I. Do not. Twirl." I said through gritted teeth.

"Turn, I'm sorry, turn."

I did. Hermione, Angel, and Nudge looked me over. From the tips of my finely curled and styled hair, over my perfectly made up face, down the length of my strikingly midnight black dress, all the way to the death traps strapped to my feet.

"I look stupid," I repeated what I had said in my head.

"No you don't!" Angel exclaimed.

"Yes, I do. Look at this dress," I insisted, flicking the feathered skirt that went down to my knees.

"Are you kidding me? That dress is perfect for you!" Hermione said incredulously.

"No it's not! Look at these diamond things-"

"Rhinestones," Nudge interjected.

"And what is with the top? There are no sleeves, I feel like I have to hike it up every few seconds."

"It doesn't have any sleeves, because it's strapless Max. Just be happy I got it in black instead of pink like I wanted too," Angel pouted slightly.

"Can we just get this over with?" I asked impatiently.

"Cheer up, you can't look so sullen the whole night," Hermione reminded me.

"You're so lucky," Nudge whined.

"How am I lucky?" I inquired in exasperation. "I'd rather gouge out my eyes with needles then go to this ball."

"I wish I could go," Nudge said, then sighed.

"Me too," Angel added.

"I'd gladly switch places with you."

"Come on Max, let's go before you do something stupid." Hermione grabbed my hand and hauled me to the door.

"Bye." Nudge waved halfheartedly.

"Have fun." Angel smiled . . . angelically.

"I won't."

"_Max_," they both groaned in frustration.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The decorations were actually pretty, but it still didn't make the atmosphere any better. What did was seeing Malfoy with something white covering his nose. It really took away from what I guessed was supposed to be a rather dashing look.

"You actually broke his nose!" Iggy fell off his chair, he was laughing so hard.

"Get up!" I hissed and drug him to his feet.

After that we just sat there in silence.

"Where did Omega go?" Iggy asked, looking around for my date.

"Who knows, he came and did that champions dance and then left. I wish I could do that."

"He just up and disappears a lot doesn't he. You'd think he was up to something."

"Mhm . . . So where's Harry?"

"Off somewhere staring at Cedric and Cho Chang, green with jealousy."

"Who?"

"Cho Chang. The girl he asked to the ball."

"And she said no, then went with Cedric?" I asked incredulously.

"No, she was already going with Cedric when he asked. Poor guys pretty upset. I know the feeling," Iggy's expression darkened and he was now staring at a couple dancing on the floor to some band called the Weird Sisters.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, didn't you know?"

"No, this is the first time I've heard of it."

We were launched back into silence. I took this time to inspect the crowd. There were whole gaggles of giggling girls with their hair falling to pieces from dancing and their makeup was wearing off. Some of them actually looked presentable, in tasteful dresses. Others, mostly girls from Slytherin, had dresses on that were so revealing you couldn't really call them dresses.

"Ugh, they're _still_ dancing together. You'd think they would take a break, wouldn't you?" Iggy complained.

Knowing exactly who he was talking about I replied, "And that could be you, if you would have asked her out instead."

"Don't remind me," he muttered darkly.

Suddenly a great hush fell over the room. The band stopped playing, the students stopped dancing, and the laughter and talking that had filled the hall before was at a dead silence. What had changed that was the slow creaking of the great hall doors being opened. I couldn't see what was on the other side, but a lot of people could, and it obviously wasn't good.

That was when all hell broke loose.

Screams resounded around the hall and there was a sudden flutter of activity, as every one was stumbling to get back.

"Oh Max." I heard a sickeningly familiar voice saying in a sing song tone, above the uproar of the crowd. "Come out come out wherever you are."

"Hell no," I muttered under my breath.

"Tell me that's not . . ." Iggy cried.

"Wait here," I commanded and then started pushing my way forwards, against the flow.

"What are you doing!?" Iggy hissed.

"I'll be right back," I assured him, and continued.

Finally I reached the outer ring of people. Those up front were cowering in terror. I gritted my teeth at the sight before me. There were hundreds of them, a mixture of Flyboys and Erasers, along with one other person front and center. Five Flyboys were holding struggling students. One was Harry, another was Ron. The rest were people I didn't know.

"We've been looking for you for a very, very long Maximum."

"Well, you've found me. What it is going to be? The usual? You know where my flock and I kick your butts and you go off crying to the School or wherever you came from."

"The School, no longer exists. We have a new master. One that is actually fit for the job."

"Ha, fat chance that is. Do you not know who I am? Have you not gotten it by now. I, am Maximum Ride . . . and you cannot defeat me. No one has, and no one ever will."

"I must disagree."

"Well then it's a good thing I don't care what you say. So why don't we skip over the fighting and just go on ahead with the running away, got it? On my count, one . . . two . . . three. Go!"

None of them moved.

"Oh, it's no fun when you're being a bad sport," I pouted.

"There will be no more turning back. From here on out it's going to be head on. You will be defeated."

"How did you find us anyway? It took you a while regardless, but still . . ." I changed the subject, admittedly stalling.

"We had an inside informant."

"Who?"

"Someone you know, very, very well. Apparently the day you let him in was one with poor judgment. Yes, bring dear Omega forward."

There was a rustling in the mass of Flyboys and Eraser, and Omega was pushed roughly forward.

"You . . . I should have known. Always sneaking around, staying away from every one else. You lied to me." I shook my head in slight amazement. How could I have missed something like this. I had just basically invited the whole lot of them in. I had welcomed the enemy with arms wide open. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"That was my biggest mistake, I guess," I reasoned out.

"Wrong. You're biggest mistake was letting me live. You know there can only be one Max, and I am by far better. You are a malfunction. A glitch in the system, one that we will finally get fixed. You should have killed me while you had the chance." Max II replied, smiling cruelly.

"No, you're wrong. It doesn't have to be this way. Don't you understand? The School has filled your head with lies. Forget what they've told you. Remember in Germany? When you actually helped me?" I reminded her.

"That, was a mistake on my behalf. I won't let you get away so easily again. It's not going to happen, I assure you."

"There can be two Max's," I insisted.

"No," she roared, "there can't! There can be only one Maximum Ride, and that will be me!"

With a snarl she reached to her belt and brought out a dagger, sharpened to the point and extremely deadly. Before I could register what was going on, she flung the knife at my head. I reacted at the last second, diving out of the way. The last thing I needed at the moment was to be skewered.

"If that's how you want to play at it, then that's how we'll play it," I said and launched myself at her. Who would have guessed that wearing four inch heels in a dress would make that so darn difficult. I stumbled slightly in my approach and she laughed maniacally. That made me mad . . . really mad. There was of course an advantage to heels, and that was one I wasn't unfamiliar with. With a slow grin I kicked her in the stomach while she wasn't paying attention. She made an 'oof' noise and doubled over.

"Not so funny is it?" I inquired mockingly.

She looked up at me with a scathing look. Before she could get up again I slid my feet out of the deathtraps and flung them point first at her head. She ducked under the first one, but when she came back she got a nasty surprise. She closed her eyes just in time. The heel would have jammed itself into her eye socket if she had not. She wouldn't be able to see out of that eye for awhile, or maybe even never again, though.

She walked slowly towards me. I did not move, I did not flinch. I stood my ground as Max II stalked forward. It was eerie almost, looking at her, because it felt like I was gazing into a mirror. I wouldn't have to have that feeling again, because this time only one of us would come out alive, and that was going to be me, I would make sure of that. Whatever it took.

**Authors Note: I wonder if anyone saw that coming? Most people suspected it had something to do with Max and Fang fighting with each other again. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Reviews would be wonderful. It would make me write faster . . . so you can find out what happens next . . . Seems like a fair trade, does it not?**


	27. Chapter 26

**Authors Note: I being the amazingly awesome author that I am, will update a day AFTER I posted the last chapter, because that's how much I care . . . plus I got it done so I am going to post it. Things will get interesting, trust me. So this chapter was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you all like it just as much as I do. Read on, please . . . **

**Chapter -:Twenty Six:-**

**This Wasn't How Things Were Supposed To Go. We Were Supposed To Be Safe**

**________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**___________

It was all dodging attacks and feigning strikes for some time after that. Max II and I sparred together, and no one, not any of the teachers nor the Flyboys and Erasers, made one move to assist either one of us. It seemed that for Max II, they were only there for back up, in case things went wrong, which was exactly what was going to happen when I killed her. Fantastic. I didn't know why none of the wizards weren't doing anything to help me, but I guess they must have realized that this was something I had to do, by myself.

I got in a few good kicks to Max II's chest before things went into a real frenzy. I went from having an advantage in the fight, to being over powered by her. She had obviously been training hard since we had last seen each other, while I had been relaxing and losing my strength.

"Ready to give up yet?" She snarled at me, as I ducked under her fist. I retaliated with a sharp palm to her jaw.

"You wish," I muttered.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not even tired yet. You are though, aren't you. You're not as strong as you once were. You've let your hard core disintegrate. You've become quite the softy. You have too many people that you care about. It's holding you back." Now she was taunting me.

"That's not true," I ground out.

"Face the facts. I am stronger. I am faster. I am by far, your superior."

"Shut up!" I cried angrily and punched and kicked her repeatedly.

Under my feet and hands I could feel bones crunching and snapping. I could feel wounds opening. I could feel her weakening. She had made the mistake of making me angry, most likely thinking I would let my guard down as her words sunk in. I had no time for that, though. Instead I let her words glide right past me, unaffected. She would not bring me down with her cruel words.

I thought I had her then. She was crumpling under the full force of my attack. Her breath was coming uneven and short. I was wrong. Her eyes were glowing with pure hatred as she gripped both of my hands in her own. She squeezed them with such pressure that I could feel the bones beginning to splinter. Tears were brought to my eyes and I blinked them away quickly. She was grinning at me, knowing that she was about to finish me off. I wanted to fight back, I needed to fight back, but I couldn't. I was paralyzed.

"It's over," she hissed and removed her hands from mine and moved them to my neck. She wrapped her long, slender fingers so like my own, exactly identical in fact, around it, blocking off my airways. She was choking me to death, exactly as she had tried before, but I had stopped her. I had overcome her. This time shouldn't be any different, but it was. There was just something, something I couldn't quite explain, that was holding me back.

So I let her kill me. I let her slowly, but surely take my life away; inch, by inch. No one tried to stop her at all. Every one who had the power to blast her all the way back to America didn't make one move. I thought about how mad that made me, but it still didn't even compare to what I was doing. I had done the one thing I had promised myself I would never do. I was giving up. I was giving up on everything I had gained. Every obstacle I had come across in the past I had defeated. I was Maximum Ride for goodness sake! I should be able to do anything I set my mind too. But she was Maximum Ride too, and it was exactly the same.

My lungs were burning, I needed air. Still that was not enough. I started getting tunnel vision, and it was narrowing and narrowing until all I could see was Max II's laughing face. She knew she had won. My legs were giving out under me. There was no strength left in my body. I thought surely this was the end for the once great Maximum Ride. I was going to be replaced, it was that simple.

Then there was a voice. Not The Voice, but a voice. A familiar voice that was calling out my name.

"Don't you dare give up Max! I know you, you don't give up that easily," it said.

"But what's the point?" I asked in my mind.

"What's the point? The point is that the flock needs you! The whole world needs you."

"The world could do without me."

"No! You're meant for something great. You can't do what you have to do if you're dead. You have to fight back Max."

"How would you know?"

"Fight damn it, fight!"

"Why should I?"

"You just have to survive this, and then you'll be fine," it said softly.

"You're wrong. The best Max should win, and I'm not the best Max. I thought I was, but I'm not. I've let so many people down in my life. I can't do it anymore."

"But you are. You are. Ignore what she said. Deep inside you know the truth. You are stronger than her. You are faster. You are her superior, and do you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you have something she doesn't."

"And what's that?"

"You have a heart, and that counts for a lot more then you can imagine."

"I don't understand," I admitted.

"You have people that believe in you, who love you, and who look up to you. She is just a cruel, cold hearted being who cares for nothing but power, and inside she is miserable. All she is good for is following orders, she has been looked down upon her whole life. She can't even think for herself. So fight back, and then kill her. You'd be doing her a favor whether she knows it or not, because her future is filled with nothing but pain."

As the voice said this I knew it was right. Whatever the cost, I would kill Max II. I would.

So with every fiber of my being I pushed against the barrier that was blocking my full potential, and when the walls were finally down . . . I fell . . . and she fell with me. I kicked her in the side so hard I heard a few ribs splinter and crack repulsively. She gasped and her grip on my throat loosened enough that I could finally breathe. I gulped in air as I continued to move. I clipped her sharply on the temple as I rolled over onto my feet. I took off towards the table where I could see the exact thing I needed.

"Where do you think you're going," Max II called raggedly to me.

I didn't answer.

"Running away, are we?" She asked, and her voice was a lot closer then I would have liked.

"You wish," I smirked.

I had just reached the table when I felt a hand grabbed a fistful of the back of my dress. She tried to pull me back roughly, but I kept reaching forward. Now she was literally pulling me with all her weight, so much that she was on her heels. I took one more step before I really couldn't move any more. I closed my eyes and stretched out my hand clutching blindly for the thing I wanted. Then my hand closed around the hilt of the dagger Max II had threw at me earlier.

I spun around and with the momentum of her tugging, I buried the knife in her chest. Straight through her heart.

"What?" She said in disbelief, staring dumbly at the dagger protruding from her chest.

"I'm the better Maximum Ride. I always have been, and I always will be."

"You. Beat. Me," she said faintly.

"Yep."

"But that's . . . impossible," she gasped.

"You're not invincible, and neither am I. I know that. Unfortunately you had to figure it out the hardest way possible."

"Voldemort will fix this," and that was the last thing she said.

She looked at me with wide eyes as she stumbled backwards, her hands over her heart. Her legs gave out and she fell to the floor. I watched calmly as the light died out of her eyes, even though on the inside there was a roiling sense of turmoil in the pit of my stomach. There were a lot of conflicting emotions going through my mind. It was like watching myself die, and it hurt a little.

I thought after that it would be over. After all that struggling, it would be done. I was wrong. Things were only just beginning. In the heat of the moment I had forgotten all about Max II's back up plan.

Apparently Max II dying was a signal for the army of Flyboys and Erasers to advance into attack. Here we go again.

At one point I saw the other three flock members enter the room and join the chaos. The teachers and students with wands had finally decided to step in, and spells were knocking out the enemy left and right. Most people had fled as soon as the opportunity had arisen, but others, those who were truly courageous, had stayed and were fighting with their fists; although it was clear that they had never fought one on one with anyone in their entire lives.

No one was dead yet, except for most of the Erasers and the majority of Flyboys had been disabled into a million different pieces, totally beyond repair. It was a good sign, we were winning.

I was in my element. This was what I lived for. The brutish behavior of the Schools puppets, and the atmosphere of seemingly apocalypse proportions. This battle wasn't exactly a clean one. There was lot of blood and gore around. People were hurt, injured and limping. But we were winning, and that was all the mattered. I probably should have been sad and angry. I wasn't though. I was absolutely floating with happiness. This feeling of power . . . there was nothing like it.

Things all came crashing down when I saw who was standing by the only available exit. Draco Malfoy was pulling on Fangs arm, trying to make him leave, but he stood his ground. He wasn't pulling against him though, he was just watching. Not lending a hand what so ever. That was what made me absolutely livid.

I jetted around the room in a wild frenzy, hurting every Eraser and Flyboy in sight. The room was slowly emptying. Then, when there was only ten of them left, they fled. Ran away, just like that. It wasn't surprising really, in fact, it was just what I had expected. Just like them. Run when things were looking bad. Run when things got out of their hands. Run when the advantage wasn't theirs any longer. While all the time, they had outnumbered us by far. Could they not see how truly predictable they were. As soon as their numbers began to dwindle, they would be gone. It was that simple.

I stood there, breathing hard, staring at where they had all previously stood.

"Report!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"My leg," I heard Gazzy moan.

"Blood, everywhere, but I'm fine," Angel called to me and then rushed over to where her brother was lying on the ground, wincing in pain.

"Nudge?" I asked.

"I think my arm might be broken, and a few ribs. Other then a few minor cuts I'm good."

"Iggy?" I looked around.

"IGGY!?" I repeated even louder.

That was when I began to panic. I started running around the room along with all the other flock members that were able.

All that could be heard now was us shouting "Iggy" over and over again.

I was searching around the tables when I heard Nudge shriek a few feet away from me. I rushed over and that was when I saw. He was lying there, completely motionless.

"Oh my God," I gasped, my hand at my throat.

Nudge was crying, I was crying.

"He's not dead, he can't be dead! No!" Nudge was saying over and over again, her arms wrapped around her shaking form.

"Is something wrong?" Dumbledore approached, a concerned look on his face.

"You," I said in a disgusted tone.

"What's wrong, Maximum?"

"You lied to us!" I cried.

"And how did I do that?" He asked calmly.

"You said if we stayed here we would be safe. That the School wouldn't find us! But look what happened. Look at my flock. They're a bloody mess. Bones are broken . . . and Iggy is dead. Dead! And it's all because of your fake promises. When we came here, it was the six of us. Now there are only four, and only one of those original six is dead. Which brings me to another point," and I turned away from Dumbledore and look directly at Fang. He stared back, unflinching.

I walked towards him, until I was standing right before him.

"I don't give a shit if I'm not your leader anymore. I don't care what the hell you do, but the fact that you stood there and watched as this all went on is unacceptable. This fight was yours just as much as it was mine, because no matter what happens, no matter how long you haven't been apart of the flock, the School is still after you. And they won't stop until all of us are terminated, so you can run away for as long as you want. It's only a matter of time before they find you too. Think about that." I spat and turned on my heel.

"Max!" Nudge cried slightly hysterically.

"What?" I rushed over.

"He's not dead," she tripped over her words as she tried to get those three words out.

I looked up at Dumbledore and said simply, "Fix this."

I walked out then. I had to fly. I had to clear my head I had to do _something_ other than think about what had just happened. What I especially didn't want to think about was the fact that the voice that had been talking to me before, had sounded like Fang . . . a lot like Fang . . . but that was impossible.

**Authors Note: Nobody even guessed who the "new master, who is actually fit for the job" was. I only mention it once in the chapter, but you can probably figure out who is controlling the School. Next chapter will probably be the Second Task, since I don't think I can make another chapter with a decent length with just the other stuff that I have. Review? Pretty Please? **


	28. Chapter 27

**Authors Note: Hiya! Okayyyy, I know, I know. I was doing really great updating and then nothing . . . I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!!! Anyway, in this fic we're just going to go ahead and say that Max can breathe underwater like in the fifth book, K? Just keep that in mind.**

**Chapter -:Twenty Seven:-**

**The Second Task**

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"Harry I'm serious!" I exclaimed.

"There's nothing to be serious about!"

"It has to be cheating. I feel so bad. You told me about the dragons and now you're telling what the clue in the egg is. It's not fair to you, or to any of the other contestants."

"In case you haven't forgotten, Cedric himself told me about the egg."

"To repay you for telling him about the dragons. What have I done for you?"

"Max that stuff doesn't matter to me," Harry insisted.

"I have to pay you back somehow," I thought out loud.

"No! You have enough on your hands as it is. You deserve to be told what's going on." He was refering to Omega beind a spy, Iggy almost dying, and me being almost brutally murdered by my very own clone. On top of that every one in my flock was injured in some way. We wouldn't be able to fight if there was another attack. This had me worried.

"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course." He smiled tenderly and patted my shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," I replied.

He turned to leave.

"Oh, and Harry?"

"Yes?"

"If what you say is true, then we'll have to be under water for some time. How are you going to manage that?"

He smiled weakly and said, "I'm on my way to the library to figure that one out right now. What about you?"

"I have it taken care of," I smirked slightly.

We said good bye again and then as he disappeared down the corridor I turned and went back into the hospital wing. Iggy was sitting up in bed for the first time in a week, his hair a strawberry blonde haystack. He was looking around with wide eyes.

"Iggy!" I exclaimed and rushed over.

"Where am I?" He asked, a dazed look on his face.

"In the hospital wing, at Hogwarts," I reminded him.

"Oh, right. What happened?" He questioned.

"I don't know exactly. Do you remember anything from that night? At all?"

"It was the Yule Ball and everything was going good, then something happened and every one was fighting, and I was fighting . . . and everything is a huge blur." His face was screwed up in concentration.

"And you don't remember anything else?"

"Nothing" He shook his head.

"Well that's great," I sighed.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"What? No it's not. It's my fault."

"You didn't get yourself knocked out," he replied.

"I almost did. I almost let her kill me," I shuddered, not looking Iggy in the eye.

"Max," Iggy began.

"And I trusted Omega. I trusted him when there was absolutely no reason to. I believed his lies and opened the doors wide for Max II and her army. If it's anybodys fault, it's mine."

"_Or_, we could blame it on Fang," Iggy suggested.

I laughed.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," I said, smiling for the first time since the Yule Ball.

I looked over my shoulder as the door creaked open slowly. Hermione peeked her head in. When she saw Iggy sitting up and looking well she grinned and hurried over.

"You're up!" She exclaimed.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Iggy said sarcastically.

"I . . ." Hermione mumbled, looking hurt.

"So where's your boy toy?" Iggy asked acidly.

"My what?" Hermione frowned.

"You're boyfriend."

When Hermione continued to look confused I said, "He means Krum."

"Oh, him? He's not my boyfriend. I don't have a boyfriend."

"Then why'd you go to the ball with him?" Iggy wanted to know.

"Because he asked me."

"You didn't have to say yes."

"Well no one else had asked me."

"How do you know somebody else wasn't going to ask you?"

"Why? Do you know somebody who was going to ask me?"

"No. I just mea-" Iggy started to say.

"Actually," I interrupted. "I know somebody who was going to ask you."

"Who?" Hermione turned to me with wide eyes.

"Oh this guy. He's in Gryffindor. He's around you all the time. He had about fifty million chances to speak up and say something, but he didn't."

"Why not?"

"Because he was afraid you wouldn't like him back, since, in my opinion, hes practically in love with you and he doesn't want to take the rejection."

"Who is it?" Hermione inquired.

"You'll never guess who it is. He hasn't ever shown any interest in you like that at all. In fact he's quite nasty to you all the time," I explained.

Hermione glanced at Iggy out of her peripheral vision quickly once and then looked back at me. Iggy didn't seem to miss this.

"Max!" Iggy warned.

"_Who is it_?" Hermione said slowly.

"I don't know if I should tell you. He might get angry with me."

Hermione shot Iggy a look again.

"You're right, he would be," Iggy said through gritted teeth.

"But I might just tell you anyway, since apparently he isn't going to do anything about the current situation." I said tauntingly.

"You promised him you wouldn't interfere," Iggy reminded me.

"WHO IS IT!?" Hermione exploded.

"It's-" I began.

"Max don't!" Iggy yelled.

"I-"

"Max, stop. Please," he begged.

"For goodness sakes who is it?" Hermione jumped up.

"Iggy!" I shouted and scrambled out of his reach, since he took a swing at me the moment his name came out of my mouth.

"She's lying!" He insisted.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Stop it!' Hermione commanded in frustration.

Iggy blinked up at her.

"Do you like me or not?" she questioned.

"No . . . well yes- I mean no . . . I just . . . yes . . . no . . .I-"

"Do you or not?"

"Yes," he sighed, defeated.

After his confession he wouldn't look her in the eye. He did glance at her long enough to see a smile slowly cross her face.

"You don't now how happy I am to here you say that. I really thought you hated me, and it was killing me," Hermione admitted.

"Really?" Iggy looked up, an expression of overwhelming hopefulness on his face.

"Really," Hermione nodded.

That was when they started kissing, which meant I would be leaving as quickly as possible, before I threw up my dinner.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Are you ready for this?" Iggy asked as I stared out at the black water.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know, I know. You were born ready." He put quotations around the 'you were born ready' part.

"Glad to see you acknowledging it," I smirked.

"You should make one change to that statement though."

"And what's that?"

"Instead of born, it should probably be hatched. You were hatched ready," he said with a straight face.

I punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow," he winced. "Don't do that. I'm still frail."

"I'll show you frail," I muttered under my breath. "So what are you doing down here anyway? I thought you'd be with Hermione," I said loud enough for him to hear.

"Moral support . . . and I don't know where she is. She went to help Harry and I haven't seen her since."

"You mean after you finished making out with each other?" I inquired.

"Yes," he answered promptly.

"And you're not ashamed of that one bit," I stated.

"Nope."

"Get out of here!" I threw a towel at him.

He laughed and backed away, arms up.

"Good luck!" He called to me before he joined the rest of the students waiting for things to begin.

I returned to staring at the murky black waters of the lake. The fierce wind was creating ripples in the surface. At first I was just watching them, but soon my mind began to wander elsewhere. There were three main things that were always there, hovering around the corner of my thoughts.

One. My flock was in tatters, ripped to shreds; in more ways then one. Iggy was getting better. It had only just been last night that he had first woken up, but he wanted to watch the second task so he walked down with every one. Gazzy's leg was broken, Nudge's arm had splintered and her ribs were all wrapped up, and Angel had scratches all over her small little body. All I could do was hope that Dumbledore stepped up and made sure no one got into the school again, or else they would have to take care of things while we sat back and watched, and I didn't like the sound of that. It made me feel like I was giving up, and after the incident with Max II I knew I was never going there again. Too many problems.

Two. This whole Hogwarts experience was becoming way to over rated. I wanted to leave so bad, and I would, but the flock wanted to stay and I had to finish this pointless tournament anyway. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I honestly don't know if we'll be coming back after this year. Everything is so difficult now. It was so much easier when we were on the run, if that makes any sense. We'd occasionally run into the School, we'd fight, we'd win, and then we'd be off again. It was as simple as that . . . . . . and we still had Fang.

Three. I had to face the prospect that Voldemort had teamed up with the School, and now they were both out for world domination, together. From the stories that I've heard, this Voldy dude wasn't so hot in most peoples books. He was total bad ass. And I knew the School, and I knew what they could do. Things weren't looking so great. Plus, I was the only one who knew about this. I hadn't even told the flock about what Max II had whispered before she slipped into the eternal sleep. I would get around to it sometime, but for now I wanted to keep us as unattached to the wizarding world as possible, just in case. But if I was right about things, we would be tied to all this forever.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Miss Goody Goody," a cold, familiar voice drawled.

"Can it, Malfoy," I spat, not even taking the time to look at him. He was dirt for all I cared.

"Feisty, aren't we?" He made a tsk tsk noise.

"Why are you still here?" I asked through gritted teeth.

He was just getting me worked up. If he thought it would be funny he was wrong, because when I gave him a black eye to match his broken nose I would be the one laughing, not him.

"I don't have anything better to do, and I realized coming down here that I haven't really rubbed the fact that Fang likes me better than you in much," he said tauntingly, as if daring me.

I didn't say anything, just bit my lip hard and clenched my fists.

"What? No smart ass comeback?"

I dug my fingers into my palm so much that it hurt, and I knew I was drawing blood.

"I knew it. You've just been turned into a teachers pet. Always going to follow the rules, just like that filthy mudblood your friends with, Granger," he sneered.

With a low growl I spun around and raised my fist.

"I'll show you a teachers pet," I snarled.

"Max, don't!" Fang grabbed my hand and pulled it back. I just threw my other, which Malfoy barely dodged. Fang snatched that one up too and pulled it behind my back, holding me close to him as I tried to break free from his grasp, so I could pummel Malfoy into dust.

_"He's just trying to provoke you, stop. You have better control than that," _the same voice from the fight whispered and I stopped struggling immediately, just listening. To my displeasure it didn't say anything more. I was struck again by its similarity to Fang, but I knew that what I had heard was inside my mind.

Professor McGonagall was making her way over.

"Is there a problem?" She asked tersely.

"No," I muttered and ripped my arm away from Fang.

With shoulders tense I turned and stalked away from them all, back to the edge of the dock where I sat promptly, cross legged and continued my staring.

**Authors Note: Review? I'd really appreciate it.**


	29. Chapter 28

**Authors Note: It's so close to the end that I'm probably going to be updating really quickly. It's exciting and sad at the same time, because I don't want to stop writing this and then I do at the same time. Definitely stay posted on my other fics though, especially if you voted on my poll. I have a lot of good ideas (and a secret Harry Potter fic idea that I'll tell you about at the end that I'm really excited about) so definitely stick around.**

**Chapter -:Twenty Eight:-**

**The Second Task (Part II), Bringing up Even More Mayhem**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

As time progressed and more and more people arrived I had to wonder who would be waiting at the bottom of the lake for me, since I had no idea. I had four people that meant the world to me, and any one of them could have been taken. Iggy hadn't, of course, because I had just been talking to him. I hadn't, however, seen any of the other flock members since last night, which couldn't be good. Not one bit.

I glanced around once more, wondering where Harry was. There were only five minutes left before things got started, but he was still nowhere to be found. I sincerely hoped he wasn't going to be a no show. I was apparently the only one that felt this way, considering the fact that Madame Maxime and Karkaroff were practically tittering with joy at the prospect of him not showing up.

Just as I was really starting to worry, Harry burst into view, running full speed towards us. Maxime and Karkaroff were visually displeased.

"Where have you been!?" I hissed at him when he came to a stop beside me.

"Long story," he said between breaths.

"I didn't think you were going to come," I admitted.

"Neither did I," was all he said in reply.

I gave him a peculiar look, but he just ignored me, trying to get his breath back.

"What do you think is down there, besides our people, I mean?" I asked.

"I have no idea, and I'm not too excited to find out."

"Neither am I," I said grimly.

"There's a giant squid, you know," Harry informed me.

"Brilliant, just brilliant," I muttered.

"It's a good thing you can do anything."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"Well to tell the truth I used to think that too. I'm not invisible though. I figured that much out. I think I still have a lot to learn."

"Don't we all."

There was a pause in which we both just stood in companionable silence.

"Harry?" I asked.

"What?"

"If I tell you something, will you promise me you won't tell anyone else. Not the flock, not Hermione, Ron, or Dumbledore. Not anybody?"

"Sure."

I leaned over and whispered, "Voldemort has teamed up with the School."

His eyes widened perceptively.

"Which means that . . ." he began.

"He's gaining power." I nodded knowingly.

"This isn't good."

"I know," I agreed.

"Max, we have to tell Dumbledore. He'll want to know," Harry insisted.

"No!" I exclaimed.

"Why not?" he asked, slightly puzzled.

"I know you trust him, but I don't, okay? You have your own reasons to like him, but he's done nothing good for me. He promised safety, and we all almost got killed," I explained.

"Max, trust me, Dumbledore is only good . . . and he has reasons for everything he does. He may seem crazy, but in reality he's the most brilliant human being, magical and non, ever to exist. We have to tell him. He wants to get rid of Voldemort, and he can do it. But not if he doesn't know about something as important as this."

"You promised," I reminded him.

"Max," he said sternly.

"You know what? It doesn't matter, okay? Go ahead and tell him, what do I care? Every one has been a let down lately anyway." I turned my back and walked away.

"Max!" Harry called, but I acted as if I couldn't hear.

"Places every one!" Ludo Bagman came swooping in, barking out orders.

I shimmied off my pants and took off my shirt, revealing a basic white bikini. There were many catcalls from the stands. I laughed out loud. Feeling daring, and quite care free, I looked back over my shoulder and winked. The boys went wild. My smirk grew more profuse. With slow movements I went to the edge of the dock and let my toes skim the surface before plunging my whole foot in.

"How is it?" Fleur asked in her heavy accent.

"Freezing," which was true. "It's perfect," I said with a wicked grin.

She looked frightened, which made my smile even wider.

I vaguely heard a whistle being blown and all the other champions had disappeared, having flung themselves over the edge as quickly as possible. With a sigh I stretched out my wings, and took to the air. There was much confusion. I didn't fly too high, just high enough to have room, but low enough so all the people could see. Within one fast motion my wings were pulled in and I plummeted towards the surface. That was when I started to flip. Then, with my hands out first I dove into the ice cold water, and my hearing was automatically clouded, so I couldn't hear the crowds reaction to my show.

There wasn't anything or anyone in sight, but a bunch of weeds. Still I swam on, not sure where I was supposed to go. I made my way deeper and deeper, submerging myself in the dark water. Traveling towards the middle of the lake, eyes wide open.

I sped through the water quickly, passing clumps of weeds, some rocks, and the occasional fish or two. So far I hadn't caught sight of the alleged giant squid, for which I was very thankful. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to fight a giant squid and get the person I would sorely miss back too all in an hour. I didn't even know how much time had passed as of now.

I swam and swam until I felt as if I really could not swim any longer. My muscles were cramping up and it was becoming a lot harder to move my legs and arms. But what was I if not stubborn? Thus said I continued forward, even though the freezing water was becoming less cold and more nothing. I was going numb, which couldn't be a good sign.

From in front of me I heard something singing

_**"An hour long you'll have to look**_

_**And to recover what we took . . . " **_

In my excitement I forgot all about my dwindling body heat and pressed onward, kicking my feet in a wild frenzy.

_**" . . . your time's half gone, so tarry not**_

_**Lest what you seek stays here to rot . . . ." **_

Suddenly I swam through the cluster of weeds I had been in and came to an abrupt halt, staring around at my surroundings. There were big rocks, with holes carved in them. It appeared to be some kind of house. With a start I saw the merpeople for the first time. They had hair green like the weeds, and it was long and wildly tangled. Their skin was gray and there eyes were a piercing yellow, which matched their jagged teeth. They were terrifying, and I tried not to look at them as I swam on, towards the singing.

That was when I saw them. Five people, tied by their feet to a statue of a merperson. Their eyes were closed and they looked like they were sleeping peacefully.

I didn't know which was more scary. The merpeople or them, with their eerily peaceful faces. I shuddered.

Now I actually took time to look at the prisoners faces. There was a small girl with blonde hair. Her features were fine and prim. Plus she looked exactly like a mini version of Fleur, so it wasn't hard to tell who was here for her. Then there was Ron and Hermione, which explained why Iggy couldn't find her. Cho Chang, who I barely knew at all, was there also. For Cedric I supposed. I ground my teeth together when I saw who was there for me. It wasn't Gazzy . . . or Nudge . . . or Angel.

It was Fang.

FANG FOR GOODNESS SAKES!

What the hell made them think that I would sorely miss Fang? He was already gone anyway.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a movement. I whirled around to find Harry swimming towards me. I just turned my back to him, still angry.

With a huff that caused a multitude of bubbles escaping from my mouth, I grabbed the pocket knife I had tied to my waist, scissoring at the rope at Fang's feet, all the while thinking about how much this didn't make any sense. I had just seen Fang, hadn't I?

When he was free I looked back at Harry for a fleeting second, who was looking at Cedric who had just approached. Soon Cedric had fled with Cho in his arms, before I had even made a move. Cursing myself for being stupid enough to wait and not head up so I could be the first person done, I threw Harry one last glance.. He seemed to be contemplating something, what I didn't know, and at the moment I didn't even care. I nodded towards him and began to swim away, of course, being me, I wasn't going to get that far that easily. Out of no where a huge shark headed straight towards me. Without a second thought I snatched up my wand and shouted out a spell that would knock it out. With an indefinite amount of shock I realized that the rest of the shark had the body of a human. It was Krum.

With a sigh I grabbed his arm and cast a reviving spell. When he came around I mouthed sorry, and started to the surface once again, not looking back.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

When my head came above the water edge, soon followed by Fangs, his eyes opened and I shoved him away from me, with a disgusted look on my face. I turned my back and began swimming towards the docks. I could see Fleur and Cedric there, which meant that Fleur hadn't be able to retrieve her person. Wasn't my problem, though I did feel kind of sorry for her. She was sobbing uncontrollably after all.

I climbed the ladder and snatched up a towel, wrapping it around my shaking form. At that point I didn't know whether it was out of coldness or anger. After that my attention was immediately averted to something else.

There was a Fang standing beside Draco a few feet away from me, and there was a Fang just climbing up the ladder behind me.

Fantastic.

I spun around and roughly grabbed the Fang I had just gotten from the bottoms of the lake's collar, pulling him the rest of the way forcefully. I ran, pulling him behind me, and grabbed the other Fang's shirt. I slammed them up against the wall all before any one else even knew what I was doing. When they saw that there were two Fang's though, there was a momentary hush, and then the flurry of whispers began.

"So? Which one of you is the real Fang?"

"I am," they both said, which was typical.

"What is going on?" Bagmen scurried over, followed by the rest of the judges, minus Crouch.

"It seems that since Max II failed to complete her mission, the School has sent Fang II to finish it. I just don't know which one is which."

"We can give them veritaserum, then ask them which one is the real Fang," suggested Madame Maxime.

"I have a faster way to take care of things," I informed them.

With a low growl in my throat I asked,** (A/N: I don't really remember if this is exactly what was asked, but I think it's pretty close)** "What was the first thing Gazzy tried to do when we escaped from the school?"

The dry Fang hesitated, but the dripping wet Fang immediately answered, "He tried to eat a cow."

"That was what I was going to say!" The dry Fang exclaimed.

"I'm so sure," I replied and kneed him in the stomach. He crumpled and I clipped him on the temple, _hard_, knocking him out.

"How about you do the honors," I said to Fang.

He nodded grimly and raised his foot. He winced slightly, then brought it down hard, snapping his clones neck. There was a gurgling sound and Fang II's chest stopped moving. I checked for a pulse. There was none.

Fang just stood there, breathing hard, his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

He shook his head.

"I know how hard it is."

"She was trying to kill you. He wasn't doing a thing to me," he reminded me.

"He was knocked out anyway. It was instant. Quick and painless," I whispered.

"Still."

I put my hand on his shoulder. He leaned into me, surprising me. Taking advantage of the moment I pulled him into a tight hug. It was only a second before his arms were around my waist, holding me close to him.

"Fang!" Malfoy snapped sharply, and he stepped out of my embrace immediately.

I just stared at him. He looked me in the eye for a moment, then followed Malfoy away. I swallowed and blinked quickly. I so wouldn't cry over someone like him. Not now. Not after everything he had already done.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The judging was beginning, and Harry was nowhere to be found. As the clock kept on ticking my smile became wider and wider, just like some other peoples. There was no way he was going to get a good score now. Just as people were starting to get restless, a black head broke the surface. Of course, he would have to act the hero. Not only had he rescued Ron, but he had brought Fleur's sister with him also. He was getting on my every last nerve.

Ludo Bagman's voice was magnified above the uproar Harry's arrival had caused. My mood had become quite sour.

"**Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points.**

"**Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour. We therefore award him forty-seven points**.

"Maximum Ride . . . well we don't really know what she did," Bagman stared pointedly at me.

"I can breathe underwater. It's apart of being a mutant freak I suppose," I informed him.

Bagman looked shocked.

"Maximum Ride, who apparently can breathe underwater, came second with her hostage. Due to her fantastic show beforehand we award her forty-four points.

**"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was** third **to return with his hostage. We award him forty points**."

Then it was Harry's turn.

"**Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect. He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However**-" and he went on and on about how Harry was an amazingly awesome person for staying. As if.

"Mr. Potter's score is forty- five points."

_WHAT!? _

He. Beat. Me. By. One. Point.

THAT WAS SO NOT FAIR!

With a snarl I stalked towards the castle, ignoring Madam Pomfrey who was trying to coax me back to her.

"MAX!" The flock was running after me, minus Gazzy who was hobbling along behind them.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to stop.

"Yes?" I asked calmly.

"I can't believe Harry knocked you out of second place," Angel gushed.

"Well actually, she's still technically in second place since Cedric and Harry are tied for first now. If you want to be technical," Iggy informed us all.

"I feel so much better," I said acidly.

"You're not mad, are you Max?" Angel asked sweetly.

"A little yes," I replied.

After that there was just silence, much to my appreciation.

Up ahead I saw Malfoy and his gang, accompanied by Fang.

"Um, I have to go do something. I'll see you guys later," I told the flock and picked up my speed, not even pausing to hear if they agreed.

**Authors Note: Drop me a review? **

**Some of that, like the singing part and the scores, were taking directly from the book. Therefore I do not own them. I bolded the parts that are from the book.**


	30. Chapter 29

**Authors Note: I got grounded . . . . That's why I didn't update sooner. Blame my mother, not me. Now for inspiration, I'm listening to songs from 13 The Musical. It's, Any Minute, at the moment, so we'll see what happens. I thought I'd give you a treat, though it won't be complete.**

**Chapter -:Twenty Nine:-**

**Confrontations And Injuries**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I ran to catch up with Malfoy. I snatched up a handful of his shirt and hauled him backwards. He squealed like a little girl. It was quite amusing.

"I need to talk to you," I snarled into his ear.

I began to pull him away from the path, and towards the fringe of trees. His goons, including Fang, followed.

"Alone," I said pointedly, teeth barred.

Crabbe and Goyle stepped back immediately, scared out of their wits of me. Clearly intimidated. Fang was another matter.

"Fang," Malfoy cried out in a half strangled voice.

"I'm right here," he assured him, walking right behind me.

"There's no need," I insisted.

"No need? You're going to kill me," he whimpered.

"Don't be a baby," I muttered and pushed him up against a tree.

"What are you doing Max?" Fang asked.

"None of your business," I shot back at him.

"He hasn't done anything to you, there's no need for violence," he said softly, always the voice of reason. Note sarcasm.

"Hasn't done anything to me?" I asked incredulously, rounding to face mister know it all. Forgetting about Malfoy at my back.

"All right. I guess that can be debatable," he agreed.

"It sure as hell can be," I spat.

"Look, I have my reasons for the things I've done."

"And they would be what? Because so far you've left us all hanging. You abandoned us without a second thought. After all the promises you've made. When you got into Slytherin you said nothing would change. That everything would be fine . . . but I guess you were lying. Which makes me wonder what else you've lied about, and for how long you haven't been telling the truth. And I keep telling and telling myself that I'll get over it, and I'll forget about how you've betrayed us all, and it still hurts, but I don't care anymore. I haven't for awhile," I admitted.

"Then why was I the one at the bottom of the lake, and not someone else?" He was staring at me with such intensity I wanted to look away, but I barely got to look at him at all. I was going to take every chance I got from now on.

"I don't know. They were wrong I guess."

"How could they be wrong? He asked.

"Because it was supposed to be someone I would sorely miss. You were already gone"

"Stop looking at me like that!" He raised his voice from the almost whispered conversation we were having.

"Like what?" I asked in confusion.

"Like I stabbed you in the heart and then ran away, leaving you to bleed to death," he explained.

I didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at him. I could feel the tears rising.

"That's because you did," I whispered and the usually emotionless Fang wore a mask of pain.

The tears spilled over and made a trail like acid down my cheeks. I turned away from him, all of the sudden not being able to bear looking at his face any longer. I started at the sight of Malfoy, still white in the face, watching me with wide eyes. I just shook my head and pushed past him, forgetting about what I had to say to him in the first place. Instead I began my descent deeper into the forest, watching as it became darker, and the shadows flickered emptily.

"Max!" I heard Fang calling my name, but I kept walking.

Before I knew what was happening I was running . . . which turned into a flat out sprint right then and there. It was a thrill, and surprisingly exhilarating. Dodging the trees, and jumping over fallen logs. Making sure I didn't trip over any roots. Pretty soon there wasn't any other sound but the pounding of my own feet and the snap of branches as I thundered over them. There was no wind, and no wildlife. The forest was absolutely still.

It struck me how familiar this scene was. Me running through the forest. The only thing missing was the sense of pursuit.

Suddenly my senses seemed to sharpen perceptively. I could hear with a new, much better clarity. My eyes saw the foliage around me with a new light. The leaves and branches slapping against my arms were even sharper and stung even more. As I let myself take all of this in, I stopped concentrating on my feet. My toes slammed into a fallen log and I tumbled forward. The last thing I remembered was a sharp, blinding pain in my head as it cracked against a rock.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Damn it.

My head hurt _so_ bad. It felt like someone was standing behind me and pounding on it with a hammer. It was one killer headache for sure. Not like the brain attacks, but a close second.

I opened my eyes to fireworks and sparking lights. I squeezed them shut again. After a few seconds I tried it again. There were still spots scattered all across my vision, but I could see . . . the forest floor that is. I sat up a little too quickly, because my head started to spin in warning. I took a deep breath to calm myself. With slow, deliberate movements I looked around. There was a rock, which I must of hit my head on, smeared with blood. A red puddle beside it.

Fantastic.

I reached my hand up and lightly touched the throbbing spot on my skull. When I pulled away, my fingertips were painted crimson.

"Max! Damn it where are you," a familiar voice growled.

I opened my mouth to answer, but at the same time I made the mistake of swiveling my head in the direction the sound had come from. The sudden movement sent a shock wave of pain through my system. I shuddered convulsively and dropped to the ground again like a deadweight.

"MAXIMUM RIDE!" He shouted, and he was definitely closer.

I whimpered and covered my ears with my hands. He was too loud. It was hurting my head even more.

"MAX!"

I shivered. Why wouldn't he shut up?

The leaves a little ways away shook and a black clad figure stumbled into view. He took one look at me, and hurried over, dropping to his knees at my side.

"What happened?" He asked in concern.

"Leave me alone," I muttered, making a point of not looking at him.

When he saw the blood his calm expression didn't change. The only indication of panic was the slightest widening of his eyes. He turned his gaze back to me, taking in my pained expression, and the blood in my hair.

":Let me see your head," he commanded.

"No," I refused.

"Max," he said sternly.

"Just go Fang! I don't need your help," I insisted.

"Yes you do. If you didn't you wouldn't still be lying here," he pointed out.

"I don't want your help."

"For once can you just suck up your pride and realize that sometimes you need to depend on someone other than yourself," he said harshly.

"I did, and look where that got me," I whispered.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"Now isn't the time for that," he said through gritted teeth.

"I don't want _your_ help. I don't need _your_ help. I don't want to be around _you_. I don't want to have to look at _you_. Not after what you did. I'd be satisfied if the flock and I left now, so I'd never have to look at your face again . . . . . I'd like it even more if you would have just kept your promises so that things could still be normal," I mumbled the last part.

"Let me see your head," he said softly.

I sat up slowly and turned so he could have a good look at the gash in the side of cranium, despite my previous words.

"It's not that deep of a cut. You must have hit the pointed edge on the rock. I'll take you back to the castle and you can get it cleaned up in the infirmary." He was avoiding my eyes now.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

After what seemed like an eternity of silence and walking, we finally reached the path leading to the school.

Fang stopped so suddenly that I walked right past him.

"What?" I halted and looked over my shoulder.

"Can I just ask you one question?" he asked.

"What is it?" I couldn't help myself, my interest sparking.

"At the Yule Ball. You said something."

"What?"

It occurred to me that he was being a lot more talkative then he usually was.

"You said you didn't care if you weren't my leader anymore. Was that true?"

I was going to answer him when a couple of thoughts invaded my mind at the same time.

One. How weird it was for him to ask such a question.

Two. Malfoy saying Fang had a new leader.

Three. Harry telling me about Malfoy's deatheater father.

And suddenly it all came together, clicking into place like a jigsaw puzzle.

I looked at him with eyes wide in horror.

"How could you?" I whispered, all the while backing away from him.

"What are you talking about?" He asked in confusion.

"How could you?" I repeated.

"Max, what's going on?" He took a step towards me.

"No!" I exclaimed, stumbling backwards. "Stay away from me."

"Wha-?" He began, but I spread my wings and shot off into the sky before he could finish. I had heard enough.

I knew he wouldn't follow. He knew how fast I was. He knew I would just fly as fast as my ability allowed and outrun him.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

When I got my head patched up, and it was deemed okay for me to leave, I hurried to the Gryffindor common room as quickly as I could. When I arrived the whole flock, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were there. They jumped to their feet when I came into sight.

"Where have you been!?" was asked, and a bunch of other things like that.

"I, uh, had an accident," I stuttered.

"What happened!?" and a lot of other questions like that were asked, which was followed by my explanation, excluding the fact that Fang was there.

"But guys, that's not what's important. I have some news."

"What is it?" Iggy inquired.

"I think Fang might be a deatheater, or just a follower of Voldemort, I'm not sure exactly," I shared my speculation, waiting for everyone's reactions.

**Authors Note: Sorry for the shortness, but I wanted to update as soon as I could. Reviews are always welcome.**


	31. Chapter 30

**Authors Note: We had my stepdads birthday party, and then two of my friends spent the night, so I didn't get a chance to write for a few days. And I'm really upset! We'll go more in depth with that at the end of the chapter, where I express my outrage over a certain topic. It makes me sad and mad at the same time, and it concerns all, well most, of you. Oh, and I needed something to read while we were at the pool, so I took the fifth book. I forgot how funny they really are.**

**Dedication: To my best reviewing buddy, and the person that currently holds the coveted award for longest review published to the story, and pretty much ever for any one of my stories I think, Hyper-Dinosaur-Says-RAWR!!! Round of applause people! **

**Chapter -:Thirty:-**

**More Truth Than I Had Expected, Or Ever Wanted**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

_Death._

_Staring into wide, dead eyes._

_Death._

_Blank Nothingness._

_Death._

_All the life has been sucked out._

_Death._

_Gone, gone farther than is good._

_Death._

_There's no coming back from that place now._

_Death._

_The air was thick with a rotting, moldy stench. There was no way to see, the fog was so thick. When it finally cleared, you couldn't help but wish it hadn't. The landscape, an cemetery, old and spooky in itself. It wouldn't be as bad, had the air not been thick with some unidentifiable fear emanating from our very beings. Then there was the feeling, that one that happens right before the clock strikes twelve, or like the last breath before you plunge into icy water. That feeling of expectance, and right now it wasn't good. Breathing hard, trying to catch your breathe, you just knew something horrible was about to happen. Something earth shattering and death defyingly terrifying._

_And whatever it was, it was coming. Like a hurried chase, and now the cat had trapped the mouse. Things were about to come to an end. You could feel it, and there was absolutely no one to deny it. No time to run. All the sand had fallen through the hourglass, the clock had stopped ticking. It seemed like the very face of the Earth had stopped spinning on its axis. At that very moment it seemed like the whole world held its breath, and no matter what you hoped for it was all over. No way to escape. _

_Ready or not, here it comes._

My eyes opened with a flash, and I let out a strangled cry that was muffled by the pillow at my face. I sat up, laying my head on my knees and I brushed my hair out of my face. My breathing was harried, coming in short gasps and starts. I wanted to cry, for fear of what had just occurred. It had seemed so real and visual, and that was what scared me the most. With my new ability, I knew I couldn't just say it had been a dream. I knew somewhere deep down that what my mind had just conjured up was not something out of my imagination. It had been a vision, just like the ones I had had before. I hadn't had one in so long, I thought for sure that the new talent had just been momentary, and that it had passed and gone away. Now I knew that this was not the case.

This was going to happen . . . Sometime or another, it was going to happen.

. . . . . I just didn't know when.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Max!" Someone shouted after me as I made my way down to where the Third task was taking place. They had explained to us about the maze and all that good stuff. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.

I stopped and turned slowly, recognizing the voice.

"What do you want?" I asked coldly.

"Will you just hear me out?" He asked pleadingly.

After a brief pause I said, "I'm listening," with a distinct hint of boredom, tainted with the slightest bit of impatience.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know you would react that way. I've thought about it a lot, and I can see where you're coming from. Especially with all that has been happening lately. And if you choose to trust me, then I promise I won't interfere. I'd be happy if I was just someone for you to come and talk to. I'll always be there to listen," he explained.

"Harry-" I started to say.

"Dumbledore is a great man though, and there isn't any one in the world you could trust more . . . but if you choose not to tell him, then I have no right to go blabbing my mouth to him, if it isn't what you want. So from now on I swear to you, that if you tell me anything of importance, I won't tell anyone else if you don't wish it so. I don't know how or why those things got into the school, but I assure you it isn't Dumbledores fault. He thought if anyone would come for you, it would be the School. Who are just a bunch of humans. He didn't prepare for anything magical, especially not to the proportions of someone like Voldemort."

"Okay," I said simply.

"So you still don't want Dumbledore to know about the School?" He asked.

"No."

He looked disappointed.

"I'm sorry, but from previous experience I'm not going to trust any more adults with out of proportion promises. What we thought we had was security and comfort, but that's been ripped right out from underneath us in the worst way possible. Nothing good has come from coming here, I won't spare you the truth. The flock is having a wonderful time though, so I'll stay for the remainder of the year for them, but after that . . . " I didn't finish my sentence.

"You mean you're not coming back?" he spluttered.

"I don't know," I admitted.

"But Max-" He began.

"It's not up for discussion at the moment, Harry. It won't ever be up for discussion, no matter what the flock says, because when it comes down to it I'm their leader. Like I've told them before, this isn't a democracy, it's a Maxocracy." I smirked vaguely.

No matter how hard he tried to stifle it, he had to laugh. Then he got serious.

"I really am sorry Max, about everything that's happened to you. If I hadn't found you in that forest, none of this would have happened. This is all my fault," he said morosely.

"Are you kidding me!?" I asked incredulously. "If you hadn't found us in the forest, we would all be dead, would we not?"

"I guess that's true," he agreed.

"You've done nothing but good for us Harry, and I don't blame you for anything at all. I made the final decision to come here, the flock's safety and well being is my responsibility, and no one else's. I made the mistake of putting that in the hands of others, and I won't do it again. Even before this whole ordeal, it usually spelled bad news."

"You have a seriously screwed up past, you do realize that?" He said with a straight face.

"I know, oh belive me I know," I laughed, and then grew thoughtful.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I was standing alone, just staring at the ground, lost in thought (which happened a lot to me lately. I always had a crap load of things to think about, but now more than ever), when someone jerked me back into the shadows. I was on defense immediately. With lightening quick movements, I swung my elbow back into the persons stomach, and twisted around so I was facing my perpetrator. We were in the shadows so I could barely see their face, but as the person was groaning I knew who it was automatically.

"What the hell Fang!?" I exclaimed.

"I could say the same thing," he muttered.

"Well what did you expect, grabbing me from behind like that? With everything that's going on I have to be on edge at all times."

"I have to talk to you," he said, dropping the previous subject.

"And you couldn't have talked to me out there? Malfoy still got you on a leash? Are you forbidden from talking to me, is that why you have to sneak around?" I wanted to know, speaking acidly to him.

"Malfoy has no control over what I do," he insisted.

This hit me hard, like a blow to the stomach for some reason. Maybe because somewhere inside I had always imagined that Malfoy had some kind of power over Fang, and that was why he was acting so strange. I guess reality was harsh. There was no room for my little fantasy any longer.

"That's good to hear." I tried to sound strong, but my voice came out weak, and I could no longer look him in the eye. I was too ashamed, and it was too painful.

"Look, I know what you think I am, and it's not true!"

"What?" I asked dumbly.

"I'm not a deatheater!"

"You're not?"

"Of course not! How could you think such a thing? Voldemort is evil and cruel. Do you not see the resemblance to a certain whacked up group of scientists who take pride in the fact that they mess up kids lives with their genetic work?" He questioned.

"But all the signs were there," I said slowly, my mind still processing this new bit of information.

"What signs?" He asked softly.

"Malfoy saying you had a new leader, and the fact that Malfoys parents are highly known deatheaters. Then you asked me if I really cared whether or not I was your leader and it all clicked together."

"Oh . . . I didn't even realize how that would look. I don't know what Draco was talking about when he said new leader, but I have nothing to do with any of that stuff," he assured me, but I wasn't buying it. Not just yet.

"But what about when you asked that yesterday?" I inquired.

He got a blank expression on his face, and he shuffled his feet nervously.

"Things are about to start, you should probably get going," he said without emotion, and started to leave.

I grabbed his shoulder roughly and pulled him back.

"Hold on just a minute!"

"What?'

"Why did you ask?" I demanded.

"I was curious."

"You don't get curious . . . . . Then again now a days I don't really know you anyway."

That same pain filled mask settled on his face and I had to wonder what was going on in his mind.

_"You can," _he said . . . but he didn't actually say it. Not out loud at least.

My mouth probably dropped to the ground.

"Wha-?"

_"Stop. You don't have to say anything out loud. I can hear you just fine."_

_"That's impossible," _I breathed . . . in my mind_._

_"It's a new ability." _He shrugged.

_"You can read minds now!"_

_  
"Not every ones mind," _he admitted.

_"Whose then?"_

_"Just yours."_

_"But why would you want to read my mind? You don't care about me at all! You're just a traitor, and a liar, and . . . and I hate you! I hate you!" _I screamed . . . in my mind.

I ran away then, like a scared, frightened little girl. Ignoring him as he called after me.

"What's wrong Max?" Harry asked in concern, at the look on my face.

"Just a reality check," I answered, swallowing hard.

"Oh," he said, looking at me strangely.

"I'm fine," I insisted, which wasn't true.

At all.

**Authors Note: It pains me to see you loose faith in Fang so easily. Especially the people who said they knew it all along! Fang would never do that, never! I couldn't make him do it. He's too good for something like that, just too good. Plus, the School is working with Voldemort. How could Fang be a deatheater, while the school is trying to kill him? That wouldn't work at all.**

**Anyway, review and tell me what you think. Express how happy you are that Fang isn't a deatheater after all . . . Come on, you know you want to. Just do it.**


	32. Chapter 31

**Authors Note: I have to admit that there may only be one or two more chapters for this. Does that make you all sad? I will, however, have a lot to talk about at the end I think. About what you all voted for and the Harry Potter fic I might write.**

**Chapter -:Twenty One:-**

**The Third Task**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

The sun began to set, and the sky turned a tainted blood red streaked through with the slightest glimpses of a waning blue. The crowd gathered, and with it came the growing tension. Anything could happen in there. I wanted to win so badly, but I also wanted to just sit back and watch like every one else. No matter what their jealous faces may say about their feelings, they were truly the lucky ones. They wouldn't have to go through this frightening task. They didn't have the overwhelming sense that something tragically horrible was about to happen, all the while having to worry about their mixed up feelings with someone who had betrayed them so completely.

The entrance to the maze was in shadows. Even standing directly in front of it, you couldn't see more than a few feet in front of you, even with my raptor vision. The hedges were neatly cut and trimmed, but the darkness was taking away from that. I couldn't help but think about how in that onyx colored atmosphere there would be unimaginable challenges. I could only think of a few things that could be worse than being inside that maze, trapped. I would be disqialified for sure if I flew above it, which meant I would be stuck in those tight corridors with their many twists, turns, and deadends. The claustrophobia was already kicking in, and I hadn't even set foot in the maze yet.

I kept thinking I was hearing the vaguest sounds coming from inside. Illusions that seemed so real and lifelike that I couldn't help but shiver compulsively. Without the sun the air was cooling off, and there was a low, but ever constant breeze that raised the hairs on my arms and neck. It didn't help that my mind kept straying to the dream I had had the previous night. Whenever I visualized the cemetery and just picturing that feeling in the air, I was on edge.

The leaves rustled and the wind whined through the closed space. I knew that I was working myself up for nothing. I would probably breeze right through the maze with no problem what so ever. But I was already too far gone. My mind was playing tricks on me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw ghostly shadows floating lazily across the dead grass, the vaguest flickers of black racing around quicker than my head could turn.

I was going insane, and for what? I was Maximum Ride, and Maximum Ride did not get scared by the fantasies she had conjured up with her mind. I couldn't afford such a thing, not with how I lived my life. With a fierce shake of my head, as if I was flinging off all the bad thoughts, and a firm voice inside my mind saying, "Get a grip on yourself Max, you can do better than that." I effectively ended my unmeaningful worries, and was back to myself.

I heard a whistle, and swung around to see Harry and Cedric disappear into the maze. Right, they get to go first, because they're tied in first place. For some reason I had forgotten about that. Then again I hadn't really been paying attention to anything that had been going on, to lost in my own thoughts for anything else. Too oblivious to let anything else pierce my mind, like for instance the fact that the task had just begun, which meant the contest was on. This was a competition and I was out to win, like a shark out for blood. Those unsuspecting fools wouldn't know what hit them.

"Maximum?" It was Ludo Bagman.

"What?" I asked, distracted.

"Are you ready?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." I managed to get out. What was wrong with me? It was like all of a sudden I had forgotten how to speak, or more accurately how to discern words coming out of someones mouth. Maybe I really was going insane.

"On my whistle then . . ."

When I heard the sharp, quick chirp I launched myself into the foreboding atmosphere, letting the maze swallow me up, walking right into the shadowy silence.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I stumbled along, feeling incredibly stupid. I could be up in the air, flying over everybody. That wasn't what the task was though. We had to maneuver our way through the maze to the cup. Either way I still felt stupid.

I was going along my own merry way without a problem what so ever, when I came to my first fork in the road. Now the question was left or right. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my instinct take over. When I opened my eyes again, I took the lefthand fork. After that I picked up my pace.

Out of nowhere a vine shot out across my path. I jumped so it couldn't grab ahold of my ankles. As soon as I had landed I had to duck under another tangle of leaves. When I tried to dodge one, another latched itself onto my left wrist. After that it could only get worse right? If you said yes, you guessed correctly. Congradu-freaking-lations.

Before I could react properly, my legs were tied up and I hit the ground. I felt the vines crawl up my legs and wrap around my torso, squeezing my stomach painfully. I thrashed around until my right hand, my wand hand, was free. That would be too easy though, wouldn't it? When I finally had enough room to point the wand at the vines, it tipped out of my hands. When it started to fall I tried to catch it, and it was right on the tips of my fingers too, but then it fell anyway . . . and rolled about a foot away from me.

"Crap!" I shouted and screamed in frustration.

With all the strength in my body I pulled against the vines that were trying to drag me under the hedge and crawled ever so slowly towards my wand. They tugged me back forcefully. I paused for a moment, regrouping, and then began again.

It was right there . . . right there! If only my arm could extend just a little longer. This would be a great time for some new ability . . . anytime now.

It didn't seem like things could get any worse. Oh how wrong I was. My finger were scrabbling across the ground, trying to get a handle on the wand, but it seemed fate didn't want it that way, because as soon as I touched it, it rolled even farther away than before.

"I. Hate. My. Life," I said through gritted teeth.

It took me by complete surprise when my arm was snapped back to my side, my hand right by my pocket . . . . . right by my pocket . . . . . right by my pocket. With a gasp I fumbled inside it and pulled out the pocketknife that was always there. How could I have forgotten?

"Thank you, God," I muttered and began sawing off my restraints. I moved quickly, and efficiently. With a wild leap, I rolled over, picking my wand up in the process.

When I was facing where the vines had snapped out at me, I found that they were coming at me again. "Diffindo!" and after just that one word they lay limp and lifeless, just as they should. I took a moment to breath, but my break was shortlived. Just as soon as one obstacle was defeated, another would come. I heard a hissing noise, and whirled around, jumping to the side just before the fireball whizzing towards me hit the place where my shoulder had been before.

It was some weird, magical creature that I'd only ever heard mentioned once. A Blast Ended Something or Other. All I knew was that it blew fire at you. That was enough to make me worry.

"Stupefy!"

I missed.

"Stupefy!"

I was luck enough to hit it square in the face, because it had made the mistake of turning around to look at me.

"Haha, you big ugly . . . thing." I felt the need to stick my tongue out impulsively like a small child. I was in a serious situation though, and there was no time for that. I set off once more with a determined stride.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

After all the Blast Ended Things, and the crazy vines, and other creatures that I didn't want to even begin to speak about, I was finally there . . . . . It was right in front of me, glowing in all its glory . . . . . and I was there first. Not Harry, or Cedric, or Krum, or Fleur. Me . . . . Maximum Ride.

Eh, every one knows that in the end I always win.

I stepped forward, ready to reach out and grasp the handle, but something was stopping me. With a frustrated sigh I backed up a few steps. I couldn't believe I was stalling! After everything I had been through, I was stalling!

There was a rustle, and the sound of pounding feet. I turned slowly, to see Harry and Cedric standing there, looking at me in wonder.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked.

"You haven't gotten the cup yet," Harry said, out of breath.

"So?"

"Well why?" Cedric spoke up.

"I don't know." I shrugged.

We didn't say anything after that. I, because I really didn't know why, and they, because they were confused beyond belief.

"Well aren't you going to take it?" Harry inquired.

"Why aren't you? You've been standing here. You could just as easily reach out and grab it," I pointed out.

What was I doing!?

"You were here first, you deserve it," Cedric answered for him.

"I don't deserve anything," I said solemnly.

WHAT!? It was like I was blurting out things that I didn't actually want to say.

"Take it Max!" Harry exclaimed.

"No you take it," I retorted.

Why wouldn't I stop doing that!?

"You!" Cedric said to me.

"No you,"

"You"

"No you take it,"

It went on like this for some time.

"STOP!" I shouted. "We can't do it this way. We'll all take it, okay?"

They nodded their heads in agreement.

"On my count. One . . . Two . . . Three," and we all reached out and grasped some part of it simultaneously. It seemed like the world shook, and jerked sharply. Then we were flying through a swirling mass, and I don't mean flying in a good way. I mean being flung this way and that, almost to the point where I was beginning to feel sick to my stomach. This all happened in a few moments, and then the vortex we were inside opened up and dropped us. I landed very un-gracefully on the grass, face first, my hand losing its grip on the cup. I pushed myself onto my knees, spitting out a combination of dirt and grass.

"Where are we?" I asked in wonderment, as my head swiveled this way and that.

"It looks like a graveyard . . ." Harry answered.

"You mean you can actually see through this fog? How can you manage that? I have freaking raptor vision and I can't see a thing," I commented.

"I'm standing by a gravestone," he explained.

"But why would we be in a cemetery?" Cedric inquired, scanning the area as I did, though I still couldn't see anything.

I walked slowly, my arms out searching. After a moment my fingers collided with stone. I had to put my face right up against it so I could see the words written on the tombstone.

"This looks familiar," I breathed.

"You've been here before?" Cedric asked.

"Yes, somehow . . . I don't exactly remembe-" but I did. I remembered exactly now. Suddenly it was exactly how it had been before. Everything down to the last detail.

_The air was thick with a rotting, moldy stench. There was no way to see, the fog was so thick. When it finally cleared, you couldn't help but wish it hadn't. The landscape, an cemetery, old and spooky in itself. It wouldn't be as bad, had the air not been thick with some unidentifiable fear emanating from our very beings. Then there was the feeling, that one that happens right before the clock strikes twelve, or like the last breath before you plunge into icy water. That feeling of expectance, and right now it wasn't good. Breathing hard, trying to catch your breathe, you just knew something horrible was about to happen. Something earth shattering and death defyingly terrifying._

_And whatever it was, it was coming. Like a hurried chase, and now the cat had trapped the mouse. Things were about to come to an end. You could feel it, and there was absolutely no one to deny it. No time to run. All the sand had fallen through the hourglass, the clock had stopped ticking. It seemed like the very face of the Earth had stopped spinning on its axis. At that very moment it seemed like the whole world held its breath, and no matter what you hoped for it was all over. No way to escape. _

_Ready or not, here it comes._

"I think I see a person," Cedric pointed.

"It's carrying something," I whispered.

"Who is it?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, I can't see their face," I murmured.

"I do believe now would be a good time to have our wands out and ready," Cedric suggested.

"Sounds like a great plan to me," I muttered.

It seemed like we all moved a lot faster than was necessary.

"I think he's coming towards us," I said under my breath.

"What do you think he'll want?" Harry asked.

"Three kids in a eerie graveyard at this time of night? Mhm, I wonder . . . " I said sarcastically.

"Is he carrying something in his arms?" Harry ignored my jab.

I peered closer.

"Yeah, I think so," I agreed.

Still the figure walked closer. Still we made not a move. Still we said not a thing.

"What do we do?" I inquired, getting a little panicked.

"I don't know," Harry admitted.

"Cedric, any ideas?" I said out of the corner of my mouth.

"Not at the moment, no," he said shakily.

When he was a few feet away, the person stopped and stared at us, still too far away to discern a face. Without warning Harry cried out in pain and clutched his forehead, where his lightening scar was. He cringed and moaned and after a mere few seconds his legs could no longer hold him up and he slipped to the ground.

And, taking into account my life being as screwed up as it was, things would only get worse after that, right? Of course it would.

**Authors Note: I want you to review . . . NOW!**


	33. Chapter 32

**Authors Note: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. School started up and that combined with volleyball practice after school every day I had virtually no time to write anything. Then when I finally got to sit down I realized that this chapter was going to be a lot harder to write than I originally thought. I hope you like how it turned out though.**

**The parts from the book will be in bold, just like before.**

**Chapter -:Thirty Two:-**

**Might Possibly Have to Claim Insanity After Tonight . . . Just a Thought**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I couldn't do anything but stare with wide eyes as Harry writhed around on the ground in such agonizing pain. All the while the person that had stopped before, began walking towards us once more. The bundle he was holding rustled like something was inside of it.

"_**Kill the spare**__s_," a cold, almost snakelike voice hissed. The only weird thing was it hadn't come from the persons mouth. It seemed like it had come from the robes he was holding. But whatever it was, it was only the size of a baby, so how could it be talking so well?

The big person raised a wand and said, "_Avada Kedavra_."

Before I knew what was happening, there was a blazing green light, and Cedric was thrown backwards. His face was turned towards me, and I could get a clear view of his wide grey eyes. With some amount of shock I realized immediately what had happened . . . He was dead.

"_The other one_," the snake person said.

The other guy turned towards me. I knew that if I didn't move right then, I would be dead for sure.

"_Avada Keda-" _he began but I sprinted away, diving behind a big tombstone.

"_Get her_!" the robes screeched.

Impulsively I peeked over the edge of the headstone. I just barely missed the green jet streaking towards me. There was quiet, which worried me a lot more than when the person was shouting spells. So I held my breath, listening for anything. After a moment there were careful footsteps coming in my direction. Not careful enough for my heightened senses though.

Ever so slowly I began to crawl backwards, away from my hiding space. I was paying more attention to what was happening in front of me than what was happening in the back, which was a mistake. I slammed into another grave with a loud crack. Now the figure was running, wand pointed directly at me.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

I ducked, and rolled away.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

I hid behind yet another gravestone.

"_Come out you coward_!" The snake person bellowed.

"Coward!? Oh hell no!"

I shot to my feet. "Expelliarmus!" I shouted.

My opponent jumped out of the way, though he stumbled, almost falling sideways.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

I dodged the spell and said, "Really? Isn't that one kind of getting old?"

He growled low in his throat.

"Stupefy!" I shouted.

"Ennervate!" he countered, though it was a but sloppy.

"Petrificus Totalus!" I repeated the body bind spell, hoping to the gods that it would hit its mark. Me being me? No such luck.

"Avada Kedavra!"

It was a miracle that the curse didn't hit me. I guess I was lucky after all. Not. Once again I was taken by surprise as I was lifted off my feet and thrown backwards forcefully. Who knows how far I would have gone had I not hit a tall statue. I hit my head hard against the rock and dropped to the ground in a heap. I couldn't move after that, my instinct had kicked in. If I didn't move, they would think I was dead or unconscious. Either way they would bother with me at the moment.

"_Leave her! We have more important business to attend to_," the thing in the bundle of robes ordered.

I silently thanked the gods for my stroke of luck.

When the persons back was turned I slid across the ground until my back was to a headstone. I was completely hidden now. I took a few deep breaths, to recollect myself, and then turned with the greatest amount of care. Not wanting to see what they were doing to Harry, but not having much of a choice.

Only then did it hit me, the situation I was in. My mind was reeling, clouded with the anxiety I was feeling. I've never been more scared in my life. I had just previously been dodging death . . . literally. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. The cold air was seeping through my clothes, and it felt like my blood was turning to ice. Cedric was dead. He had been killed just like that. Before any of us even really noticed. Before we had time to react. I was a little bit more fortunate. I was able to assess the situation, and prepare a counter attack. It made me sad to think that at one moment Cedric was living, thinking he had won the Triwizard Tournament, and the next there was nothing left. Then again maybe he was better off. He didn't have time to think about it. Didn't have time to let the worry settle in his mind, slowly taking control over everything else. It was enough to drive a person insane. Trust me, I know.

I still had a chance, though. Still had a chance of making it out alive, however slim that may be. Thinking this, like a wrecking ball the thought came to me, in a quiet whisper of destruction . . . But what if I didn't? What if I died here, in a graveyard, of all places. Oh the irony. What would the flock do without me? Usually I would say Fang would take over, but seeing as I really couldn't count on him these days, that option was out . . . . . That would mean the next oldest would take over . . . That would mean . . . Iggy! The freaking pyro-maniac! The HORROR! The flock would be dead in a day. I guess the only real option was to not die, but that might be a little harder than you might think.

I looked around. Aside from the fact that it was dark, creepy, and utterly nerve wracking; the place was kind of peaceful. A bit too peaceful for my taste. At the moment there was absolutely nothing going on. The dude who had tried to kill me was still making his way towards Harry, who was still laying on the floor, sort of transfixed by Cedric's wide, dead eyes. He wasn't really getting that he was dead, I don't think. This was all wrong. If I pictured how I was going to die, it would most likely be in a huge battle with a lot of blood and gore. Then I knew. I wouldn't just sit here and hope that no one found me! There was no way I was going down without a fight. I would rain hell on that man and whatever was in his arms. I would make him wish he had never pointed his wand at the great Maximum Ride!

Through my musings, the human had finally reached Harry. He had proceeded to haul him up, and was now tying him to the headstone. The bundle he had been holding before was no longer in his hands. In fact . . . it was lying a few feet from him . . .

. . . Without a second thought I made my way towards it, as quietly as possible. There wasn't a thing going through my mind besides the gnawing sense of anxiety that was traveling around and around my mind as I stalked towards the mysterious ball of talking rags. It struck me how hysterical that notion was, and it took all my will power not to burst into a fit of laughter. Another thought invaded my mind. I was freaking crazy. I mean I was honestly going insane. Stark raving mad. I should be admitted into an asylum! This caused more laughter to bubble up, but I quickly stifled it. Thank God that idiot man was too busy tying up Harry to notice me, or I would have been caught for sure.

I was just reaching down to snatch it up when the same voice I had heard coming from it before rasped, "_Wormtail_!"

"Shut up," I hissed, but it was too late.

The man, Wormtail I was guessing, whirled around in surprise.

"_Handle it_," the voice ordered.

"For one I am not an it, I am a she! And no one, _handles_ Maximum Ride!" I said scathingly, raising my wand.

"_You might not want to challenge my servant dear girl. Perhaps we can come to a negotiation of a sort. You go back to the cup and get transported back to Hogwarts. You become the Triwizard champion and you also live, but only if you don't say anything about what happened here. That sounds like a good plan does it not_?" The previously smooth voice became distorted, and he sounded more like a croaking frog than a snake.

"What about Harry and Cedric? People are going to ask questions when they're never seen again," I pointed out, acting as if I was really considering the proposition he offered. As if.

"_Just claim you never saw them in the maze. Nobody will question you dear Max. You're too good for that after all_."

"But agreeing to this would make me not good. I would be responsible for Harry's death."

"_Then I will make this more interesting for you. When I kill Harry Potter, I will be able to take over the entire world. Perhaps a seat of power would quench your undying thirst for attention_."

"What are you talking about. I don't want any attention. I'd be perfectly fine with breezing by in life totally unnoticed," I replied crossly.

Something about what he said hadn't made sense to me.

All of a sudden he was making this choking noise. His throat rasped and he was sucking in air. It took me a moment to realize he was laughing.

"What?" I asked, mortified.

"_You obviously don't see how much you go around, vying for peoples attention. You always have to be the best. You have an image to protect after all. You have to be the tough girl. The one that isn't in any way in touch with her feminine side. The one who would rather get rough and tough with the boys then gossip like any normal girl would. Maybe it's because you're not normal, which is made obvious by the wings on your back. What, did you think I did not know_?" he asked at the surprised sound I made. "Well _let me tell you something Maximum, I know everything. But back to the subject at hand._

"_It could be because you've accepted that you aren't nor will you ever be normal. I've taken a particular interest in you though, and I've come to the conclusion that it's really because you have an aversion to show weakness, or any show of feelings altogether; which leads me to believe that inside you are really just a small, helpless little girl who feels betrayed and abandoned. Who has trust issues because once upon a time she was living what seemed to be the perfect life and then the one person she could always count on disappeared, leaving her to fend for herself. Then her precious boyfriend left her too, and she was torn to pieces, and when she finally mustered up enough strength to put herself back together again, she found that there wasn't anything left to work with_.

"_From that first day so many years ago you put on a facade that was created to suggest that you were strong and powerful, but invincible were you not. For inside you are just a weak, spineless fool that has fallen prisoner to her own deception_."

"You're wrong," I said, but my voice shook as I spoke, and it did not have the desired affect.

Something wasn't right here, I reminded myself once more.

"_I could fix that though. When I am able to stand on my own again, when I am no longer in this weak state, you could join me. You could rule the world by my side and you would be exactly what you had always imagined yourself to be_."

"You were the one who sent Max II to kill me though, weren't you? Don't try to deny it," I spat acidly, trying to gather up the jumbled mess inside my mind, but only the vaguest pictures were coming to me. His speech had truly shaken me up and I didn't know what to think. I was trying to make sense of the situation, but nothing was coming. I was so confused, and the more I tried to put two and two together, the more it made my brain hurt. Who was that being inside the robes

"_Yes I did, I must admit, but at that time I was only thinking of you as a deadly enemy. Now I see you in a new light. More as a powerful ally than anything_."

"Master, we are running out of time," Wormtail spoke, and I jumped. I had forgotten he was there.

Did he just call that thing master? Master . . . Master . . . The Dark Lord . . . Voldemort. I gasped silently as I realized who I was talking to.

"_Maximum you could do so well at my side. Don't you see that? Join me, and go down as on of the most powerful wizards in history_," Voldemort said, obviously sugar coating the situation.

"I'm going to have to decline your offer," I replied, my voice going hard. Devoid of emotion.

"_WHAT_" He roared.

"Stupefy."

The word did not come out of my mouth. I was off my feet, oddly enough landing right beside Cedric, the cup a few yards away. I tumbled to the ground, my eyes closing. I fought to keep them open, but the darkness pressed down on me. I was hurled into a never ending void. The more I struggled to regain consciousness, the farther I fell into the black abyss. I tried, and failed to retrieve some sort of footing on the real world, but ending up being sucked even deeper into the vortex of my own mind. After a while I became to tired to resist anymore, and let the murky black waters swallow me up. My mind went blank and I was lost . . . . .

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I woke up, just in time to see Harry running towards me. He dropped to the ground grabbing Cedric's wrist.

"Hold on to me!" he ordered, and I did as he said, grabbing ahold of his arm, even though I had no idea was was going on at all.

**"Accio," Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup.**

**It flew into the air and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle**.

As his hand connected with the cup the whole world jerked sideways and all three of us were swept up in the whirling mass of undefinable shapes and blobs of colors intermixing with each other. The world was spinning and tipping this way and that. The only thought that kept me from passing out then and there was, we're going to be at Hogwarts soon. The terror that had been unleashed in the graveyard would soon be far behind them, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

**Authors Note: Sorry if some of you were disappointed that Max wasn't more involved in the whole process. I just felt like a) why go through the whole thing, when probably all of you have read Harry Potter, and know what happens during the time she was knocked out, and b) that was kind of Harry's moment and I really didn't want Max to intrude on that. **

**It sounds weird, I know, but it's how I feel.**

**Anyway, next chapter is probably going to be it, and I probably won't update until next weekend, or maybe longer since during the week I don't have much time to write. I will get it done though! Trust me. **

**Did you like the chapter though? Let me know in a . . . REVIEW! **


	34. Chapter 33

**Authors Note: I was on a writing high, so I wrote this. Aren't you glad? I actually had it done Monday, but guess what? My computer wasn't working. Now it is though, and this is the LAST CHAPTER! Exciting! One thing though, do not be fooled by something that is said during this chapter.**

**Chapter -:Thirty Three:-**

**Because I Love You**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

I heard the shouts of excitement. The roar of approval as the crowd clapped and cheered wildly. The dizziness from the portkey, and the grogginess I was feeling from just getting up combined with the loud noise every one was making was giving me an insane headache. It felt like someone was pounding on my head with a sledge hammer. At first it wasn't as bad as one of my brain attacks, but the longer the constant roar coming from the stands kept up, the more the pain grew. Ever so slowly it was reaching a level of epic proportions and I didn't know how much longer I could take the pain.

I stood on shaking legs and covered my ears as best I could, but the sound was only muffled slightly. I swayed to the side. Then there was an explosion, as if things couldn't get any worse. Bright lights fused, wiping out my vision entirely. Pain popped and sizzled in my head, like waves of destruction. It took me a moment to realize that I was screaming at the top of my lungs. That and the crowd had finally become quiet.

My legs couldn't hold me up any longer and they crumpled under me. I rolled around on the ground, thrashing this way and that; trying to rid myself of the torturous pains that engulfed me, fire spewing from every contour of my mind. This wasn't just a brain attack. This was worse . . . much worse. Soon my throat became to sore to yell, and all the came from me was an agonizing screech and whimper combined into one. The fire was not receding, if anything it was getting worse, gaining in force. I couldn't handle this. If it didn't stop soon I would die, surely I would. Someone, even I, could only take so much pain.

I clutched at my head, my fingers entangling themselves in my hair, scraping against my scalp. After a while I just collapsed into myself altogether. There was no way of defeating the fire that had encased my mind. I let my hands fell, and instead curled up on my side, crouched in a fetal position. There was obviously nothing I could do. After just narrowly escaping death I had thrown myself right into again. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

So I just sat there, whimpering and moaning as the pain grew in agonizingly slow intervals. Why couldn't someone make it stop, any one make it stop!

"MAX!" Someone shouted my name, but they seemed so very far away.

"Max it's okay, I'm going to help you," they said softly, but determination could be detected deftly in their tone.

I whimpered in response.

"I'm going to make it stop," they insisted.

"How?" I managed to whisper through the onslaught of acid rain in my head.

"Just trust me."

"How . . . can. . . I?" I finally got out between gasping breaths.

"Because no matter what you may think, I'll always be there for you. I'm not going to let you die Max. Not for anything."

"Why would you say that?" I asked, but in such a low voice that I'm surprised they heard me.

"Because I love you."

And then the pain was gone.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

When I opened my eyes I was in the hospital wing. Most importantly though, I was alive.

"How long have I been out?" I asked, knowing that the flock was surrounding me.

"Long enough," Angel said quietly, gripping my hand so tightly it was starting to go numb. Gazzy was doing the same to the other.

"Is Harry okay?" I inquired. They seemed well prepared to answer that question, it being one of the most obvious things I would ask.

They explained what had happened while I was unconscious. How every one saw me screaming and shut up instantly. Then how they saw that Cedric was dead. It was absolute chaos after, they insisted.

"Where is he?" was my next question, and by instinct they knew that I was no longer after information concerning Harry, but a different person entirely.

"He just sits by the lake, high up in a tree. No one bothers him, even Malfoy has enough sense to stay away," Iggy was the first to answer, after a long pause.

I just nodded, immersing myself in thought. One thing was for sure though. I had to go see him. I had to figure out whether or not the person who had saved me last night was him or not. I had to know. Even if the answer hurt, I couldn't live with not knowing. It would kill me, and I had quite enough of death for the moment. I wasn't going to fool around anymore. It was time to get straight down to business. Now more skirting the truth. I was tired of being lied to. He was going to answer my questions, all of them, whether he wanted to or not. He owed me that much.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The wind was cold, biting at my nose. I wrapped my arms around myself, holding my jacket more tightly around my body.

"Hey," I called softly, staring up at the dark figure obscured by the leaves and branches blocking my view.

He dropped down beside me, not saying a word.

"I think it's about time for the truth," I announced.

He opened his mouth, and by the expression on his face I knew he was going to disagree. Resistance was in his nature.

"Stop," I commanded. "I barely avoided death twice in just a short amount of time. I'm tired of all your crap Fang. Tell me the truth. I can't take it anymore."

"There isn't anything to say," he muttered.

"Well than I'm sorry to hear you say that, because I swear to you Fang, this will be the last time you see any of us again," as I said it I knew that it was true. We would not be coming back here, and the end of the school year was tomorrow.

"What?" He asked incredulously.

"Good bye," I whispered and turned my back to him.

"Max wait!" He called after me.

I stopped without turning.

"Are you going to explain?" I asked coldly.

There was a pause in which I took a step forward.

"I did it to protect you. To protect the flock."

"What are you talking about?" A simple question.

"When I got into Slytherin I discovered some rather nasty rumors. All revolving around Lord Voldemort returning. It just so happened that Draco Malfoy was the center of these rumors. His father was a Death Eater, he wasn't lying. I decided then and there the best thing I could do was say I was on his side. I knew you were friends with Harry, and I knew he was their biggest target. I figured if I was an ally to them, they wouldn't hurt you all. I never meant to hurt you Max, I swear."

"Did you ever think of, mhm, I don't know? Telling me about your little plan. I spent this entire year mulling over why you would do such a thing. I honestly believed you had turned your back on me. You were supposed to be my best friend, but you aren't. No matter what you say now is going to change the things you said, the things you did. You ripped my heart out and stomped all over it. With every word you spoke I believed you hated me more and more. There's no going back from there, and as much as it kills me to say that, it's true."

"Please Max," he pleaded.

"No." I shook my head in pity and began to walk away again.

I suddenly remembered I was supposed to ask him if it was him who had said those things to me when I was so weak, but at the moment it didn't seem to matter any longer. Still I came to a halt. I just had to ask him one more time.

"Why did you do it?"

"Because I love you," he whispered in my ear, and I realized that he had come up to me without me noticing.

I turned slowly, looking at him in disbelief. For a second I caught a glimpse of a look I had never seen on his face . . . and that was all it took for me to believe that he was telling the truth.

His lips captured mine with his own, and I kissed him back without a second thought. Lights blared, but they were the good kind of lights, and the world shattered, but it was a good kind of shattering, and I felt so weak and vulnerable, but it was a good kind of weak and vulnerable, so much so that I didn't care.

"I love you," he whispered when we finally broke apart.

I said nothing, because no matter what had just happened between us, I still did not trust him fully.

"I understand," he replied, but even so he held me all the tighter.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

We flew through the sky in high arcs, and careening spirals. All six of us.

With a grin we landed in my moms backyard. There was a blur and I was knocked to the ground, entangled in a half sister heap.

"It's good to see you too, Ella," I laughed, in high spirits.

I greeted my mom next, she did not tackle me to the ground like someone, but she was equally happy to see me. I thought that would have been it, but then a third person walked out the door.

"Maximum, how good it is to see you. How was school? I heard you won a most prestigious award there." It could only be the bane of my existence, Jeb Batchelder.

"How did you know about that?" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Just keep one thing in mind, Maximum," Jeb said in a wizened old guy voice.

"And what's that?" I asked, rolling my eyes and looking away.

"Everything is a test."

***NEED TO READ***

**Authors Note: And thus is the conclusion of Magical Mayhem. It's a bit short, I know.**

**BUT WAIT!**

**If you may recall quite a few chapters back I asked you all a very important question, and that was whether or not I should continue this story by following the plot by doing all of the Harry Potter books. That would mean three more stories. The vote was unanimous. All of you voted for b, which isn't surprising really. So I am happy to announce that I will be doing what you picked. You may have to wait awhile for the next story though. Oh my gosh! I just realized that this is just like being an actual author. I publish one and now every one must wait in anticipation for the next. That's so cool! **

**In truth the hold up will be that I am planning on posting quite a few new stories for different books. I asked you to go to my poll and vote on what project I should work on next. In the long run it was very close. In the end the Twilight fic one by one vote. Then the Max&Iggy fic. I was going to do a Gale&Katniss fic also, but I kind of sort of switched teams, so instead I'll probably do a Peeta&Katniss fic, even though I already finished Catching Fire, which by the way was amazing and infuriating all at the same time. Someone voted that I shouldn't continue at all. That upset me a lot, but when I started reading some of your wonderful reviews I realized that it shouldn't matter that one person chose that. No one chose the Blue Bloods fic, so I probably won't do that anyway. The Stark&Zoey fic will, however, be done.**

**So keep your eyes open for Hostile Relations, the Twilight fic that will be coming out soon, followed by the Max&Iggy fic I have no name for yet (:**

**Also, I need your guys' opinion on a Harry Potter fic idea that I came up with. I'm sure it's been done before, but probably not how I've thought of it. Here's the summary: **

**Harry and the Gang, along with other students are sent to a magic school in the USA for an exchange program. Could escaping Voldemort mean running right into a new enemies hands?**

**What do you think? Is it a good idea? I'm really confused about it, because I totally can't write that before I write the next story for this, because it would take way too long. I think I'm just going to have to pace myself.**

**Anyway, give me some feedback. PM me if you'd like, and answer this question. Have you ever been so swamped with ideas that you're going to go insane if you don't get then done? If so, what did you do to handle the situation?**


	35. Yet Another Authors Note: Sequel Info

**Hello! (:**

**This is just a bit of an announcement, and I realize that it's coming extremely late considering the sequel to this story, titled Magical Mayhem: The Phoenix Flies, is well under way. Still I figured it wouldn't be such a bad idea to post this little reminder, considering that someone reviewed the sequel saying they hadn't realized it had come out.**

**That being said, you can probably get the gist of what this message is about, no matter how late in coming it has been . . .**

**Magical Mayhem's sequel has been published!**

**As I said before, its title is Magical Mayhem: The Phoenix Flies and its summary is:**

**Objectives: Keep Flock ready to fight at a moment's notice. Stop Fang from being sucked back into the wrong crowd. Easy enough, right? Not exactly, especially with the idea of the School teaming up with Voldemort looming overhead. **

**Thanks for bearing with me through that very impromptu message (:**

**~ Vamps-with-Wings**


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